Grasping Derivatives: Teaching Mathematics through Embodied Interactions using Tablets and Virtual Reality

Abstract

Grasping mathematics can be difficult. Often, students struggle to connect mathematical concepts with their own experiences and even believe that math has nothing to do with the real world. To create more concreteness in mathematics education, we focus on the role of the body in learning, and more specifically, embodied interactions for learning derivatives. In this project, we designed an embodied game to teach derivatives, and validated our design with a panel of experts. We then used this prototype to explore different embodied interactions in terms of usability, sense of embodiment, and learning outcomes. In particular, we evaluated different degrees of embodied interactions, and different types of embodied interactions in Virtual Reality. We conclude with insights and recommendations for mathematics education with embodied interactions.