Electronic Proceedings of the 12^th Asian Technology Conference in Mathematics

Abstract for 12736

A Study of School Teachers¡¦ Applications of Using Magic Board : a

Web-based Virtual Manipulatives

Authors: Yuan Yuan

Affiliations: Chung Yuan Christian University

Keywords:

Usually, school teachers do not have the time neither the skills to

produce their own educational materials. Magic Board is a Web-based

instructional tool, which includes a virtual collection of pictures

and symbols, teachers can use to create learning materials and to

design context-oriented learning activities for elementary school

students. The researcher gave a three-hour workshop to elementary

school teachers in April, 2007. In June, a questionnaire was mailed

to those who registered as a member and used Magic Board to design

instructional materials on the Web. A total of thirty-one teachers

were surveyed and three elementary school teachers were interviewed

to collect their experience of using Magic Board in school.

Research results showed that most school teachers like to use this

tool to design instructional materials. They expected to include

more conceptual kits, such as fractions and fraction digits and

suggested to have ready made activities, so teachers may have more

wish to use these virtual manipulative and use them effectively.

Interviewing results showed that Magic Board could be used to teach

basic number concepts effectively. School students were surprised to

see and use this tool to learn mathematics. The three teachers

thought that this tool could be used to pose questions easily and to

promote students¡¦ conceptual understanding. Suggestions from

questionnaire surveys and interviews were useful and used as

directions to the improvement of Magic Board.