Smartick - Page 8 of 61

Dec30

Self-Explanation in the Learning Process

In this post, we are going to continue analyzing the book, How I Wish I’d Taught Maths by Craig Barton, which is about evidence-based education. Today we will talk about the chapter that focuses on self-explanation which is the self-reflection that takes place when you are reading or learning something. Effects of Self-Explanation Self-explanation consists of […]

Dec26

What is Dyscalculia and How Can It Be Treated

Dyscalculia, the Great Unknown In an earlier post, we spoke about a very current but not very well known topic: dyscalculia. Dyscalculia can present itself in a very diversified way but, generally, children that suffer from this specific learning disorder have difficulties with the basic aspects of numerical processing and calculation. These difficulties, if not […]

Dec23

Learning Math in the Early Years

When thinking about math in the early years, math for little ones, we contemplate counting, first numbers, and acquiring numerical sequence. And indeed, it is at this stage where we begin to develop the ability to count. But these are not the only math topics that children can learn in the early years. There is […]

Dec19

The First Trimester with Smartick

When children come home with their grades from the first trimester it’s like an imaginary referee has signaled the first water break during a game. It is time to check the score, take a breather, and assess if a comeback is possible. It may feel like it is the halfway mark but that’s false. It’s […]

Dec16

Interleaving vs Blocked Practice to Learn Math

”What is the difference between interleaving and blocked practice?” We will be writing various entries explaining the difference between these two types of practice and how we use them in Smartick. Blocked Practice In math textbooks and classrooms, it is common for students to study a topic and then, immediately after, apply what they have […]

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Dec12

Reading Well Is Essential to Avoiding Academic Problems

If we go to any elementary school and ask the teachers if the 7 and 8-year-old children can read, they will most likely say yes. If we were to do a reading test we would definitely see children who read well and pronounce words correctly. However, we would also find children who read slowly, struggle […]

Dec09

Modeling Problems With Cubes

At Smartick we are committed to incorporating manipulative materials into our learning method. Although virtual environments have some natural limitations when it comes to ”manipulating” the materials themselves, we have been able to adapt them to our method to maximize learning for the underlying concepts. You can find more information about the topic in this […]

Dec06

Learning by Playing Videogames

Within Neurodidactics, an important discipline to lay the proper groundwork for new forms of education, there are five basic ideas. Neurodidactics Basics Learning is fun. Learning is spontaneous, without guided instruction. It is most effective when the sensitive phases are respected. Children learn the skills needed for learning more easily when they are younger. Digital […]

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Dec04

Smartick Coding and the Importance of Programming

What is Smartick Coding? Every certain number of sessions, students that do Smartick math are presented with a Smartick Coding session. That way, they work on computational thinking that, we will discuss in this and future posts, is very closely related to mathematical, logical, and abstract thinking. Smartick Coding is an ambitious project that works from […]

Dec02

How to Find the Absolute Value of a Number

In today’s post, we are going to learn how to calculate the absolute value of a number with help from some of the exercises that we have in Smartick. The absolute value of a whole number coincides with its numerical value without having to think about the sign. It is represented with vertical bars around […]

Nov28

What is Math Anxiety? How Can Smartick Help?

Math anxiety is defined as the feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that interferes with performance in mathematics (McLeod, 1994). And it is not something exclusive to students that are not good at math, anyone can suffer from it. According to the World Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 30% of adolescents experience an […]

Nov25

Cognitive Load Theory and Multimedia Learning

Let’s continue with our posts about Craig Barton’s fantastic book focused on evidence-based learning in mathematics. Today I will talk to you about the fourth chapter, which focuses on cognitive load and multimedia learning. This chapter addresses how the cognitive load is fundamentally affected by different agents involved in the teaching-learning process. Cognitive Load Theory […]