Fidget spinners have become popular worldwide, due not only to their popularity with children but also to the mental health claims made by those who advertise them. While a small number of previous research studies indicate that fidget spinners reduce on-task behavior, no research to date has evaluated their effect on student performance. The…

The duo of artefacts is a simplified model of the complex systems of various manipulatives (either tangible or virtual) that mathematics teachers and their students use in classrooms. It offers a means to study the complexity of the interweaving of the tangible and of the digital worlds in the teaching and learning processes. A duo of artefacts is…

While interactive touchscreens are currently entering into educational practice, little is known about what this means for learning in early childhood and, in particular, how touchscreens shape action and communication. In this paper, we examine the interactions of 2-year-olds and their teachers in a multilingual preschool in Sweden. We analyse…

In this article, we present an educational proposal designed to work on spatial geometry and three-dimensional thinking with students in the last years of Primary Education. The proposal is comprised of several activities that combine the use of a classroom videogame and working with manipulative materials to create a representation of the…

This study examined microteaching using computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) to assist student teachers in anticipating student voices and achieving authentic role-play. To achieve this, the design had two manipulatives: tangible puppets as "mediating manipulatives" that allow student teachers to elicit a variety of imaginary…

The aim of this research is to determine the effect of activities in accordance with the Waldorf approach supported by the cooperative method on the early number assessment skills of 48-60-month-old children. The study, which was carried out in accordance with the quasi-experimental design with the control group, was planned as two activity hours…

Teacher education and social education are increasingly challenged to adopt student-centred approaches by focusing on learning spaces and materiality. This study reports on an integrative literature review to determine how space and materiality are approached in the research literature on playful learning in higher education. A thematic analysis…

Rich play enhances the child's engagement during play, and this improves the potential for learning. This study examines the place of sensory materials focused on visual and tactile stimuli (sensopathic material) during guided play to improve learning in the reception year. Interviews with teachers and observation of the children while playing…

Technology has changed the practices related to teaching and learning mathematics in schools. The demand for learning mathematics in virtual environments is increasing in the 21st-century classroom. There has been widespread expansion of the use of technology in education. This column reviews three types of instruction--synchronous, asynchronous,…

The primary grade levels traditionally consist of highly kinesthetic and tactile activities supporting learning and student engagement. During the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers urgently transitioned these learning activities to virtual settings. However, research shows a need for more literature on primary teacher experiences and their move toward…

The purpose of this article is to introduce a lesson fondly referred to as the 'Lego Shop' lesson. It stands out as not only the most engaging lesson we've conducted but is also highly adaptable to accommodate a diverse range of learners. Successfully implemented across all year levels, from Foundation to Year 6, this lesson has proven to be…

Education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is essential to achieving continued technological advancement. The most critical years for instilling knowledge are during childhood, and a strategic way to accomplish this is through playful materials. Therefore, there is a need to develop more inclusive solutions to achieve…

Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers are essential in ensuring the stability and efficiency of numerous scientific, industrial, and medical processes. However, teaching the principles of PID control can be challenging, especially when the introduction focuses on the underlying mathematical framework. To address this, we developed the…

This study reconsidered educational materials by analyzing educators' opinions regarding handmade manipulative materials (HMMs) for children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in Japan. Instead of concurring with the view that educational materials are static and inert products, the author adopted an agential realist perspective…

In addressing the challenge of fostering functional thinking (FT) in secondary school students, our research centered on the question of how an embodied design can enhance FT's different aspects, including input-output, covariation, and correspondence views. Drawing from embodied cognition theory and focusing on an action- and perception-based…