Amanda Williams Published: November 22, 2012 19: 17 EDT | update: 03:08 EDT has passed on November 23, 2012, the dusty days of the Foundation blackboard and the application exercise book --
This seems to be the "classroom of the future ". These multi-touch, multi-
There are already three smart desks for users-
Annual program for more than 400 students and was nick-
It was named Star Trek classroom ".
These desks and software were designed by experts from the University of Durham, and studies have shown that they can significantly improve the math level of students.
Research also shows that using an interactive "smart" desk is more beneficial than doing math on paper.
The researchers say seeing what your friends are doing and being able to fully participate in group activities provides a new way to work in class.
Professor Liz Boder, principal researcher at the college of education at Durham University, said: "Our goal is to encourage more high-level students to participate actively, through sharing, questions --
Not passive listening, but solving and creating.
"This classroom can be both active and equal.
We found that our table encourages students to work together more effectively.
"We are pleased to observe that a group of students have enhanced the understanding of mathematical concepts by others.
This collaboration does not happen when students use paper --
Method based.
This project, called SynergyNet, aims to integrate a fully collaborative desk system and build it into "fabric and furniture for classrooms.
With "more-
The touch surface is a central part and is networked and linked with the main smart board.
As far as teaching is concerned, the new system means "mobile-to-
The whiteboard is-
The new table can be either a screen or a keyboard.
Tables are like multiple
Touch the whiteboard and several students can use any table at the same time.
The technology allows all students to be involved, rather than being led by one person.
Teachers play a key role in the classroom and can send tasks to different tables for individuals and groups.
Teachers can also send answers from one group to the next group for a class discussion.
Real-time feedback from the table is passed directly to the teacher, who can intervene quickly to help the individual while allowing the group work to continue.
Professor Higgins said: technology like this has great potential in teaching, because it can help teachers manage and coordinate the learning of individual and learner groups to ensure that they are both challenged, support is effective.
Findings published in the journal Learning and Teaching show that children who use collaborative math activities in SynergyNet classrooms have improved in math "flexibility and mobility"
Only increased flexibility based on activity.
Emma Mesel, a researcher at Durham University's School of Education, said: "cooperative learning is very effective in the new classroom because students interact and learn in different ways.
Kids really love doing math like this and they are always disappointed when you turn off the table.
"However, through practice, we can achieve fluency in mathematics, and it is difficult to teach to improve students' ability to find a range of arithmetic problem solutions.
"This classroom can help teachers use cooperative learning to improve students' flexibility in mathematics.