How can software enhance math learning?
In our TechPALS study this year, we found that software enables cooperative learning for students in groups of three. In particular, they learned more than fellow students did in a computer lab with headsets on, using a commercial product and working individually. We saw fourth-grade children who were initially confused as to why the fraction ½ and a pie with two of four areas shaded represented the same number. After their peers explained it, they began to master equivalent fractions and perform better on tests. The software runs on convenient handheld devices and a wireless network, providing feedback on student performance and allowing the teacher to focus support on the children who need it most.
