PHYSICAL MANIPULATIVE AND VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVE

• Virtual manipulative as "an interactive, Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge“

• Static and dynamic virtual models can be found on the Web, but static models are not true virtual manipulatives.

• Virtual manipulatives have a range of characteristics, such as pictorial images only, combined pictorial and numeric images, simulations, and concept tutorials, which include pictorial and numeric images with directions and feedback (Moyer-Packenham, Salkind, & Bolyard, 2008).

What is a virtual manipulative?

• Currently, virtual manipulatives are modeled after concrete manipulatives such as base ten blocks, coins, pattern blocks, tangrams, spinners, rulers, fraction bars, algebra tiles, geoboards, and geometric plane and solid figures, and are usually in the form of Java or Flash applets

• Most benefit from a combination of visual (i.e., pictures and 2D/3D moveable objects) and verbal representations (i.e., numbers, letters, words) of concepts, which is possible with virtual manipulatives and is in keeping with Paivio and Clark's Dual Coding Theory .

• The ability to combine multiple representations in a virtual environment allows students to manipulate and change the representations, thus increasing exploration possibilities to develop concepts and test hypotheses.

• Using tools, such as calculators, allows students to focus on strategies for problem solving, rather than the calculation itself.

PHYSICAL MANIPULATIVE