While traditional anatomy education often emphasizes passive learning and rote memorization, it seldom employs constructivist theories that focus on active, hands-on experiences for effective learning. This study tests the hypothesis that tactile experiences with modeling clay enhance geometric mental representation more effectively than verbal…

Physical models for exploring multiplication are fixtures in elementary classrooms. The most widely used physical models of multiplication are collections of discrete things, such as Cuisenaire rods, Unifix Cubes, or Base-10 Blocks. But discrete physical models are limited in the products they can represent. By contrast, pictorial models, such as…

Introduction: The emerging technology of three-dimensional (3D) printing has the potential to provide unique 3D modeling to support specific content in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, particularly chemistry. Method: Seventeen (n=17) students with visual impairments were provided direct instruction on chemistry…

This article condenses five years of professional development based on Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) integration principles, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Principles to Actions (2014), and ISTE Student and Teacher standards to give a launch point for teachers and teacher educators to integrate 3D modeling…

Executive functions enable flexible thinking, something young children are notoriously bad at. For instance, in the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) task, 3-year-olds can sort cards by one dimension (shape), but continue to sort by this dimension when asked to switch (to color). This study tests a prediction of a dynamic neural field model that…

Our research programme, a part of which is presented in this paper, looked at four year old children's ability to use manipulatives in the construction of cube models. We looked at how pre-school children managed the creation of cube nets as a mathematical problem and whether graphical representations of solutions could become a useful tool in a…

3D models derived from actual molecular structures have the potential to transform student learning in biology. We share findings related to our research questions: 1) what types of interactions with a protein folding kit promote specific learning objectives?, and 2) what features of the instructional environment (e.g., peer interactions, teacher…

In this article, the author discusses the creativity of origami and discusses a model she designed in May 2008 in Freiburg at the 20th International Origami Convention of Origami Deutschland. The model resulted from her investigation of a geometric model that exposes the centre part of a square paper sheet. The base model of the series called…

Students enjoy origami and like making everything from paper cranes to footballs out of small, colorful squares of paper. They can invent their own shapes and are intrigued by the polyhedrons that they can construct. Paper folding is fun, but where is the math? Unless teachers develop lessons that address mathematical objectives, origami could be…

The ability of interlocking polygonal tiles, like those in the "Polydron Frameworks kit," to flex can give rise to polyhedra whose faces don't quite fit. In this article, the author discusses what happens with polyhedra whose faces don't quite fit. (Contains 2 notes.)

When the author began teaching, she always hit a problem when it came to 3D shapes. She wanted the pupils to get a feel for them, and she would get them to make the shapes from their nets. The pupils would first try to visualize how the 2D nets could become 3D shapes and then they would physically fold the nets into the shapes for themselves.…

Presents 24 activities related to the theme of area to illustrate how algebra can empower students, not impede their progress. Activities use grid tools, manipulatives, computational tools, and paper-and-pencil tools to facilitate access, discourse, independence, and multiple representations. Well-chosen themes offer connections, motivation,…