Mindspark Presentation by Sudhir Ghodke -30th January, 2010

Learning with Learning with UnderstandingUnderstanding

For every child?

Sudhir Ghodke|Educational Initiativeswww.mindspark.in | sudhir@ei-india.com

We want our children to…We want our children to…

Develop good computer skills

Have good

vocabulary

good at sports

Get good marks

Do well in

competitive exams

Concentrate

well

Be analytical

Be competitive

ChallengeChallengeENGAGEMENT

+ve spiral

IMPROVEMENT

DISENGAGEMENT/ PHOBIA

-ve spiral

FAILURE

v/s

“Ma I can’t

do it….”

It not fun! I want to do something else…

How do we address this?How do we address this?Large scale research studies done

by EI state thatthe top schools of the country

suffer from several learning gaps

Our teaching learning processes need to be focus on learning with

understanding

Our teaching needs toOur teaching needs to

• make learning a long-term thinking centered process

• provide rich, on-going assessment

• support learning with powerful representations

• expect more from our students

• immerse students into the subject

• reassure students that it’s okay to make mistakes!

Teaching for Understanding,David Perkins; Project Zero, Harvard School of Education

Educational Initiatives Educational Initiatives the makers of the makers of ASSETASSET

brings you…

A curriculum integrated self-learning program

Other FeaturesOther FeaturesPre-tests, Challenge Questions, Post tests, Remedial Items, Parent Reports, Teacher Reports

Main Main FeaturesFeatures

• Available for classes 1 – 10

• 22 modules in Maths

•CBSE; ICSE curricula synchronised

• Over 28,000 finely graded questions

• Internet based program, allows access

from home and school

• Works at the child’s level

• Customised to the teacher’s lesson plan

Why Why Mindspark?Mindspark?

makes math enjoyable

encourages analytical skills

gives feedback regularly

rewards the child

explains where the child is going wrong

gives enough practice to learn

By adapting to every childBy adapting to every child

enjoyable,

encourages,

gives feedback,

rewards,

explains,

coaches……….

Finely graded questions

Cluster wise arrangement

Jump based on accuracy

and speed

What is an adaptive logic?What is an adaptive logic?

Here is an example of how three children in the same Here is an example of how three children in the same class would progress in Mindspark in a given topicclass would progress in Mindspark in a given topic

35+ 11

---------

35+ 11

---------

23+ 54

---------

23+ 54

---------

16+ 43

---------

16+ 43

---------

Student 1Student 1 Student 2Student 2 Student 3Student 3

10+ 3

---------

10+ 3

---------

56+ 36

---------

56+ 36

---------

11+ 7

---------

11+ 7

---------

15+ 10

---------

15+ 10

---------

37- 12

---------

37- 12

---------

5+ 4

---------

5+ 4

---------

By targeting By targeting misconceptionsmisconceptions

Detailed explanations through illustration, graphics and

animations. Remedial questions

Student are taught to measure around class 4… They are shown an example like this…

So let’s say they were asked to measure this pencil…

Typically the child will take this pencil and place a ruler like this..

And say the answer is 9 cms…

Mindspark frames the question like this…

What is the length of this pencil?

Why?

Let’s see what students have to say…

Through our extensive research we learnt that students are not clearabout what is ‘1 cm.’

Hence Mindspark explains with the help illustrations like this and ensures that students do not develop alternate concepts…

1 cm

Clearly highlights the concepts that might have

been identified as common misconceptisons

MS Question 1MS Question 2 (Explanation for wrong answer)MS Question 3 (Broken Ruler – with expl)MS Question 4

By assisting By assisting TeachersTeachers

Enjoyable, encourages, gives feedback, rewards, explains, coaches……….

HOW?

Instantaneous feedback while teaching – Instant rectification

Individual attention – homogenous classDifferent approaches – Deeper understanding

Teacher TopicsTeacher Topics

• Mindspark covers various mathematics topics taught from class 1 to 10.

• Topics have been designed according to the those specified in curriculum

• Teachers can activate topics accordingly to what is being taught in class

Algebra

Algebraic identities and factorisation

Polynomials - zeroes, Remainder theorem and Factor theorem Linear equations in two variables

Quadratic equations

Geometry

Point, lines and planes

Parallel lines

Triangles, triangle properties and congruence Coordinate geometry

Similarity

Percentages

Percentagaes

Compound interest

Real numbers

Rational numbers

Real numbers

Exponents and roots

Trigonometry

Trigonometric ratios

Heights and Distances

Mindspark generates a report of the

problem areas with specific

questions that were found

difficult by the students to

attempt

Mindspark generates a report of the

problem areas with specific

questions that were found

difficult by the students to

attempt

Mindspark generates students

reports and highlights problems

areas in the topic

Mindspark generates students

reports and highlights problems

areas in the topic

Mindspark highlights

misconceptionsAnd generates teacher reports

that helps in planning her next lesson

plans

Mindspark highlights

misconceptionsAnd generates teacher reports

that helps in planning her next lesson

plans

Teacher activates topic in

Mindspark

Teacher activates topic in

Mindspark

Day 1Monday

Teacher teaches a new topic in

class

Day 2Tuesday

Students practice the topic activated

Day 3Wednesday

Teacher clarifies the misconceptions

in class.

Day 4Thursday

Mindspark assess if the child has

understood the concepts thoroughly

Day 5Friday

Teacher discusses particular questions and ensures that the students are ready to learn the next

topic

Weekly Calendar for a teacher…Weekly Calendar for a teacher…

Mindspark does continuous assessment, gives enough practice while guiding the child on this mistakes…

OverallStudent-wise

report

OverallStudent-wise

report

Know the progress for each Know the progress for each child!child!

Topic wise….Topic wise….Click here to see a student trail

Also check common wrong

answers!

Also check common wrong

answers!

How does Mindspark help improve scores?How does Mindspark help improve scores?

Pilot ResultsPilot Results

Extensive research shows…

The Mindspark team has done extensive research and conducted pilots in some of the leading schools of the country to check if learning improves with the help of Mindspark…

An improvement from 63 percentile to 81 percentile – 18 percentile improvement

Teachers Experiences with MindsparkTeachers Experiences with Mindspark

Mindspark overcomes the maths phobia-Mrs.Rajam, Innisfree

It is done in accordance with class syllabus then where teacher is unable to clear the doubt, the system is doing it fairly well.

- Ms.Kanan Doshi, SN Kansagara

Students are very eager to attend Mindspark classes. They enjoy problem solving through Mindspark

-Ms Kanthapriya, Sishya School

Student Experiences with MindsparkStudent Experiences with Mindspark

I liked the way they give us questions and they keep on becoming harder and harder. its like a game for me and first I used to hate maths now I don’t hate maths at all I am really very attentive now its my one of the favourite period nowadays .

Shruti Nayak, Class 5, Gundecha Education Academy

i love the way that the questions are twisted and turned and given to us to solve. i even like the visuals that are given for the

questions.Naren Desai, Class 8, Riverside School

Case StudiesCase StudiesKevin Sakariya, a class 7 student of SNK school was struggling with the topic Shapes. His teacher says Mindspark not only helped Kevin understand the basic concepts of shapes but also clarified some of the common misconceptions in measurement.

How students are learning with Mindspark?How students are learning with Mindspark?

Tejas Rachur student of class 6 struggled with the units dealing with understanding equivalence between fractions. However, with certain level of exposure and practice he was not only able to clarify his misconceptions but also successfully clear higher level questions which required comparison of fractions and estimating the value of fractional numbers.

Equivalence of fractionsThe unit begins with informally introducing concept of equivalence through visual using a context (such as chocolates consumed by a child).

How students are learning with Mindspark?How students are learning with Mindspark?

However, when the word problems based on sharing model (of understanding fraction) were given to the student he would not able to solve them correctly.

How students are learning with Mindspark?How students are learning with Mindspark?

The child was exposed to another way of teaching equivalence fractions which might suit his existing knowledge content. This way was more closely related to area model with which he might be comfortable with. He was able to solve these problems more accurately and go ahead.

How students are learning with Mindspark?How students are learning with Mindspark?

With a good exposure to different types of problems and models of teaching, the student had developed basic understanding of fractions as a number. He was able to do the unit on Estimating value of fractional numbers in first attempt with 88% accuracy.

The overall average has gone up from 10 (out of a total of 20) to 12.6. This means there has been 13% increase in the marks from pre-test to post test.

At section level comparison, sections A, D, G, H, M, O improving more than average.

SNK, Rajkot - Case StudySNK, Rajkot - Case Study

sections pretest post test improvementdifference percentage

A 10.7 14.4 3.7 18%B 9.3 12.4 3.1 16%C 10.5 12.8 2.4 12%D 9.9 13.3 3.3 17%E 11.1 13.6 2.5 13%F 12.3 14.1 1.9 9%G 10.0 13.2 3.2 16%H 9.9 12.8 2.9 14%I 8.8 10.0 1.3 6%J 11.1 13.1 2.0 10%K 10.9 12.6 1.7 9%L 10.5 13.3 2.8 14%M 8.5 12.2 3.6 18%N 8.2 10.6 2.4 12%O 8.4 11.5 3.1 16%P 9.3 11.9 2.7 13%

total average 10.0 12.6 2.7 13%

Nidhi Vyas | Class 5 | StudentNidhi Vyas | Class 5 | Student

A teacher asked her students to shade 1/3 of a circle. This is how jenny, Hamid and Tinu shaded circles. Who has shaded correctly?

A. Only JennyB. Only TinuC. Both Jenny and HamidD. Jenny, Hamid and Tinu

Nancy, Rinky and Zarina were asked to draw a square and shade 1/3 of it. This is how they shaded the squares. Who has shaded correctly?

A.Only NancyB.Only ZarinaC.Only Nancy and RinkyD.All – Nancy, Rinky and Zarina

Pre test Post test

Mindspark Mindspark in your school?in your school?

2009SN Kansagra, Rajkot

Innisfree House School, B’loreSishya School, Hosur

Sindhi High School, HebbalGear, B’lore

Riverside, AhmedabadHeritage School, Gurgaon

Gundecha, MumbaiDLF, Ghaziabad

6733 students

2010…+

Manovikas, GoaShri Ram Schools, Gurgaon

Delhi Public School, GuwahatiAnand Niketan, Ahmedabad

Vrajbhoomi, AnandInventure Academy, B’lore

10,013 students +

Thank you!Thank you!