ONLINE

ASSIGNMENT
Submitted by
Praseed
aP
Mathematics
Reg:
No.180-14384003

NEED AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF
MATHEMATICS
LABORATORY

INTRODUCTION
Mathematics education has traditionally emphasized the worst
face of mathematics. Students are taught many mathematical
facts, but they are rarely taught what the mathematics process
is and how to employ it. Mathematics is an indispensable part
of education .its practical utility is not understood by many. This
has happened because of sheer ignorance of educators and
learners of mathematics. This ignorance has led to skepticism
or phobia of mathematics. Mathematics is not born skeptical
but made skeptical due to heterogeneous factors.
Many students in our school even today show displeasures
towards

the

learning

of

mathematics,

student

view

mathematics as dull, boring and stereotyped. Most student

think that mathematics means to get something right or to get
something wrong when they get it wrong they think that they
are not good enough for mathematics and lose interest in
learning .On the other hand a few student learn enough tricks
to get something right to pass the exam.
There are not enough instances when a
teacher has tried to teach math in a different way, say through
activities and games. These activities and game make the
process of learning more interesting and effective the setting
up of a mathematics laboratory aids this effort. A mathematics
laboratory is a place where we find a collection of games,
puzzles, teaching aids and other materials for carrying out
activities.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MATHEMATICS

LABORATORY
Mathematics laboratory is activity centered and a child is
placed in problem solving situation through self exploration and
discovery. He provides a solution based on his experience,
needs and interest. Some of the ways in which a mathematics
laboratory can contribute to the learning of the subject are,
It provides an opportunity to understand and internalize
the basic mathematical concept thought concrete
objects and situations.
It enables the student to verify or discover several
geometrical properties and facts using models or by
paper cutting and folding technique.
It helps the student to build interest and confidence in
learning the subject.
The laboratory provides opportunity to exhibit the
relatedness of mathematical concept with everyday life.
It provides greater scope for individual participation in
the process of learning and becoming autonomous
learners.
It provides scope for greater involvement of both the
mind and the hand which facilitate cognition.
It enables the teacher to demonstrate, explain and
reinforce abstract mathematical ideas by using concrete
object, models, chart, graphs, pictures posters etc.

MATERIALS

AND

EQUIPMENTS

MATHEMATICS LABORATORY

FOR

For

the effective functioning

of a mathematics

laboratory, it should be well equipped. A mathematics

laboratory may contain the following type of materials
and equipments.

MATERIALS
a)

Concrete materials:
The mathematics laboratory should contain materials

such as beads, pebbles, sticks, ball frames, seeds, balance,

weights, measuring tapes, scissors, pins, abacus, cardboard,
boards,

graph

paper

etc.

Which

are

very

helpful

for

demonstrating elementary mathematics concept

b)

Pictures and chart:

Pictures

of

mathematicians,

history

of

mathematicians, charts showing contributions of mathematics,

biography of mathematicians are very helpful in inspiring
students and can be placed in the mathematics laboratory.
C)

Bulleting board:
There should be at least one bulletin board in the

mathematics

laboratory

to

display

various

illustrations

concerning mathematics.
D)

Black board:
A black board should be provided in the mathematics

laboratory.

This

helps

in

writing

instructions,

drawing

geometrical figures and illustrations necessary for performing

the laboratory work.

E)

Teaching aids :
Like model of solid figures, unit cubes, cylinder,

cone, sphere etc.

F) Projective aids :
Like sound projector, slide projector, OHP,
DLP/LCD etc.

INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENTS

Drawing instruments:
In mathematics laboratory, the students are required
to draw and sketch geometrical figures, graphs and so on.
There fore, in every mathematics laboratory there should be a
set of drawing instruments like compass, rulers protractors etc.
Weighing and measuring instruments:
The instruments used for measuring and weighing
such as measuring tapes, balance of different types measuring
jar and graduated cylinder should be there in a mathematics
laboratory.

Surveying instruments: surveying is an important aspect

of mathematical laboratory work. Laying out right angles,
finding the angular distance , estimate the height of a building,
estimating the distance of an object, finding the angle of
elevation and depression are useful activities which make use
of surveying instruments.

Proportional dividers:
T his instruments works on the principle of
proportionally of similar triangles.

Computing dividers: slide ruler, calculator and computer

FUNCTIONS OF MATHEMATICS LABORATORY

The primary functions of a mathematics laboratory are to
A. Make mathematics teaching and learning, interesting and
purposeful for student.
B. Provide activities that arouse the curiosity of the student
and maintain their interest in learning.
C. Enables students to develop proper skills in handling
equipments and gadgets.
D. Concretize the abstract mathematical concept.
E. Help students develop powers of observation and drawing
inferences.
The mathematics laboratory is a place
where anybody can experiment and explore pattern and ideas.
It is a place where one can find a collection of games, puzzles
and other teaching and learning materials. The materials are
meant to be used both by the student on their own and with
their teacher to explore the world of mathematics, to discover ,
to learn and to develop an interest in mathematics. The
activities create interest among student or in anybody who
wants to explore, and test some of their ideas, believes about
mathematics.
Mathematics laboratory is a self explanatory lab with
activities, in which students could come any time and engage
in the work, continue working on the problems or task, and use
teachers as and when they are stuck. In this way the role of the
teacher is to each how to progress in the activity but to
facilitate inquiry with the mathematics in it. The facilitation

could be done either by probing questions giving an extra

resource or asking to follow or discuss with peers.
Teaching of mathematics should deal with the process and
not just confirm to transferring the knowledge from the mind of
the teachers to note books of students through the tip of a pen
and for such a phenomenal change in teaching of mathematics,
a

right

ambience

is

required

and

it

is

definitely

the

mathematics laboratory. It is because, mathematics laboratory

can act like a concomitant between teacher and student and
provides an opportunity to understand and discover the beauty,
importance and relevance of mathematics as a disciplines. It
can be expected to enhance the pupils understanding of the
subject as taught at the school and can also provides a glimpse
of what is beyond.
The mathematics laboratory is a unique concept in the
field of mathematics education that was introduced in the year
1994. In developed countries the mathematics laboratory is an
integral part of regular curriculum. However, in India teachers,
researchers, experts and scholars of mathematics education
have been giving thought to the present system of teaching of
mathematics and to change it to learner centered, but the
effort have proved to be futile as they are tending towards
teacher centered. Mathematics laboratory has now become an
inevitable component to be absorbed as one of the mainstream
method of teaching of mathematics, which might make the
learning of mathematics learner center.
A mathematics laboratory is a place where some of the
mathematical activities are carried out and is akin to any other

science laboratory. The way students gets hands on experience

in a science laboratory, even in a mathematics laboratory,
student should get hands on experience and scope for new
innovations. Further mathematics laboratory should be a
learning environment where many young minds decide that
mathematics is more than practicing sums that the teacher
assigns.
So a mathematics laboratory setup in any school should
be formal environment where mathematical concepts are made
fully explicit and environment should be such that the user can
create and explore mathematics and learn on his own and
make his or her own assessment.

CONCLUSION
Now a day, the role of the teacher is reduced to
facilitator.

strategy

for

teaching

mathematics

in

mathematics laboratory atmosphere that should transform the

position of the teacher from being active speaker to the
facilitator. Conceptualizing mathematical ideas stimulates the
growth of analytical thought, which is critical for succeeding in
the modern world. The conceptual understanding will better
enable students to handle logical and complex information
throughout their lives. Doing some prescribed limited activities
of mathematics without proper evaluation and techniques yield
hazardous results. Hence, it is preferred to have a professional
outlook for mathematical ideas that stimulate the growth of
analytic thinking and develops research attitude amongst.

REFERENCE

1)Dr. Jana.Bijaykrishna. Managing pupil learning

in mathematics
2)Dr. James Anice -Teaching of Mathematics
3)Dot system. in / book / export / htmi/ f4
4)

Math

education

>mathematics

hbcse.

tifr.

Res.

in