RESOURCES IN MATHEMATICS

W12 Mathematics Laboratory

What is a Mathematics Laboratory ?

Mathematics Laboratory is a place where students can learn and explore mathematical concepts and verify mathematical facts and theorems through a variety of activities using different materials. These activities may be carried out by the teacher or the students to explore, to learn, to stimulate interest and develop favourable attitude towards mathematics. www.cbsemath.com/mathlabx.pdf

Need and purpose of Mathematics Laboratory

Some of the ways in which a Mathematics Laboratory can contribute to the learning of the subject are: 1. It provides an opportunity to students to understand and internalize the basic mathematical concepts through concrete objects and situations. 2. It enables the students to verify or discover several geometrical properties and facts using models or by paper cutting and folding techniques. 3. It helps the students to build interest and confidence in learning the subject. 4. The laboratory provides opportunity to exhibit the relatedness of mathematical concepts with everyday life.

It provides greater scope for individual participation in the process of learning and becoming autonomous learners. 6. It provides scope for greater involvement of both the mind and the hand which facilates cognition. 7. The laboratory allows and encourages the students to think, discuss with each other and the teacher and assimilate the concepts in a more effective manner. 8. It enables the teacher to demonstrate, explain and reinforce abstract mathematical ideas by using concrete objects, models, charts, graphs, pictures, posters, etc.
5.

Design and general layout

A suggested design and general layout of laboratory usually can accommodate about 32 students at a time . The design is only a suggestion. The schools may change the design and general layout to suit their own requirements.

Physical infrastructure and materials

It is envisaged that every school will have a Mathematics Laboratory with a general design and layout as indicated with suitable change, if desired, to meet its own requirements. The minimum materials required to be kept in the laboratory may include furniture, all essential equipment, raw materials and other necessary things to carry out the activities included in the document effectively. The quantity of different materials may vary from one school to another depending upon the size of the group.

Human Resources

It is desirable that a person with minimum qualification of graduation (with mathematics as one of the subjects) and professional qualification of Bachelor in Education be made incharge of the Mathematics Laboratory. He/she is expected to have special skills and interest to carry out practical work in the subject. The concerned mathematics teacher will accompany the class to the laboratory and the two will jointly conduct the desired activities. A laboratory attendant or laboratory assistant with suitable qualification and desired knowledge in the subject can be an added advantage.

Time Allocation for activities

It is desirable that about 15% - 20% of the total available time for mathematics be devoted to activities. Proper allocation of periods for laboratory activities may be made in the time table. The total available time may be divided judiciously between theory classes and practical work

Layout

The laboratory layout is designed so that an instructor can teach from the front. There is enough room between the rows so that a person can easily move about the room. In addition, each cluster of three computers can serve as a group work area. The layout of the room is shown on the next page.

Maths Equipment

ICT hardware and software

Hardware: the physical parts that make up

the computer (everything we can 'see and touch').

Software: not physical, this includes the

programs, or applications needed for the functioning and operation of the system.

HARDWARE COMPONENTS

Application software

Mail merge Word processing Database Data processing Spreadsheets Desktop publishing Graphics Power point Maths type

Teaching Materials
Printed Materials Books, journals, articles

Manipulative materials Geo-board Dienes blocks Cuisenaire rods Multi Based Arithmetic Blocks

Teaching and learning kits Nets and solids, measuring instruments

Maths Information Centre

Math Corner/ Dynamic Corner

Targeted audience: classmates outsiders teaching staff

How does the students gain from his association with the Mathematics Laboratory:

Student learns to appreciate the relevance of mathematics to real life. He no longer sees mathematics as an abstract subject The student develops the potential to engage in creative thinking. He learns to conduct research on his own. This will eventually help him in his higher education irrespective of the career chosen by him The student is made to see the importance of using technology in conducting mathematical explorations. He is made to write his own programs. This develops his analytical thinking since in writing a program for solving a problem he is actively thinking about the mathematical process behind the problem. The mathematics laboratory makes the student aware of career options in mathematics. It has been a general observation that the laboratory helps to sustains the students interest in mathematics

How does the students gain from his/her association with the Mathematics Laboratory:

The Mathematics Laboratory provides the teachers with new teaching possibilities through the use of technology. The role of the teacher in the lab is to facilitate learning and use innovative methods to help students discover mathematics on their own. This is far more challenging than the conventional classroom teaching. Through the activities of the lab the teacher can explore and device new teaching methods. Serious research concerning pedagogical issues in mathematical learning is made possible through the mathematics laboratory

Tutorial
Group Discussion : Design Maths Laboratory plan and layout Explain the importance of it.

ISL

Compare and list out the facilities between classroom and maths laboratory. Collect and keep the relevant materials : pamphlets brochures portfolios Exhibit & display students work