Spinli
Teaching is constantly evolving, and after extensive primary and secondary research, several issues arose highlighting the need for a more suitable math-based product for classrooms. It was discovered that technology has not had an overall positive effect on children's ability to focus and concentrate during class-based exercises, whether it involves iPads, computers, or monotone textbook exercises. The issue of children's disengagement levels and poor participation in mathematics is a significant problem faced by educators worldwide, necessitating the need for more innovative classroom products that can aid both teachers and students.
One of the key issues highlighted through interviews with primary school educators is the monotony of traditional textbooks used in classrooms, which fail to stimulate children's attention and interest. This often leads to disengagement and challenges in retaining information presented in a dull and lifeless manner. Furthermore, budgetary constraints make it challenging for teachers to invest in educational products available on the market, causing them to continue relying on outdated and ineffective teaching methods.
Another issue faced by young children is learning disabilities, which may cause difficulty in basic numeracy and concentration skills. This can lead to frustration and lack of motivation, further exacerbating the problem of disengagement. To address these challenges, the proposed
project's brief aims to create a math-based product that can aid teachers and students by developing a practical, simple, and efficient learning aid to stimulate and engage children of all abilities. The goal is to provide a product that can help teachers overcome the challenges of engaging their students during math lessons, and by doing so, help students better retain information and remain interested in the subject.
The final product aims to provide an effective and practical solution that would fit within the budgetary constraints of educational institutions while remaining versatile and customisable to meet the needs of individual students. Through interacting in a variety of ways with the products, children can not only develop the core subject of math but also several life skills such as their cognitive and fine motor skills. This product allows for teachers to enhance their lessons through utilising the concept of learn through play. It offers the possibility to create and customize different exercises to complete curriculum aligned lessons and tasks. By having a tactile aid which students can use during lessons, there is a greater possibility to include students of all abilities.
The teacher chooses an exercises and set the board in front of the children with the exercises accompanying tools. They explain the objective, in this case addition. The user or users, spin the two disks. The numbers which line up directly in front of each user is the equation. The user then solves the equation they have created either with pen, fingers, pegs and pegboard or other resources.
The Pegs and Pegboards offer both teachers and students a variety of different games and exercises such counting, sums, graphing, placement, shape making, sequencing, and stacking. This feature offers an extra tactile step in the exercise to increase engagement and creativity.