The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : The sunny side of the numbers game

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Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

The sunny side of the numbers game

Staff Reporter

Photo: S. Gopakumar

MAKING LEARNING EASY: The mathematics lab at the Institute of Scientific Research and Training in Thiruvananthapuram. —

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over 120 models that explain various mathematical concepts to children are on display at the mathematics laboratory set up by the Institute of Scientific Research and Training at Sasthamangalam.

One of the primary objectives of the lab is to develop interdisciplinary links with other subjects and to make mathematics more pragmatic and life-oriented at the school level.

Easy explanation

Some of the ‘basic functions’ of mathematics such as number system, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to algebra and trigonometry can be explained with ease and clarity to the students with the help of the wooden models. .

“A phobia has already been created in the minds of children by parents and teachers that mathematics is tough to learn,” said Anian Koshy, director of the Institute. As a result, most of the students hate the subject, but parents can do away with this phobia if they kindle an interest in maths at a young age itself,” he said.

In fact, according to a study conducted by the State Council for Educational Research and Training, a majority of the students who failed in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination in 2006 and 2007 are in mathematics.

With the help of the models students can learn the subject more effectively.

There are various models available at the laboratory to overcome this difficulty. The items on display for primary and upper primary level include number plates, exterior of a triangle, proof of Pythagoras theorem, area of a circle, net of a cylinder, tangram and fractional kit.

Similarly, at the secondary level a large percentage of students learn mathematical theories mechanically owing to the absence of proper teaching aid models. The models of algebraic identities will enable students to have a better understanding of theories.

Other activities

Some of the other activities of the maths lab include celebrating birthdays of famous mathematicians, listening and viewing audio and video cassettes and Compact Disc relating to different mathematical concepts and conducting experiments.

The Institute, which offers assistance to schools in setting up the lab at the primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary levels, also distributes posters of eminent mathematicians.

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