Connect

In the game JiJi Cycle, students first encounter a visual representation of a fraction (Picture 1), and must move the platform to the appropriate place on the number line.

ST MATH AND THE LEARNING PATH

Experience llllllllllllll
In the game Tug Boat students must move the boats to create an equal number on each side of the bridge in order to solve the puzzle. With the touch-enabled ST Math, students literally touch the screen to manipulate what they see.

EXPERIENCE l CONNECT l PRACTICE l APPLY

Students learn best by doing.

By interacting with

objects in their environment, and perceiving the consequences of their actions, students build an internal framework of the world around them. This internal framework provides the basis for conceptual understanding. Students connect new concepts and ideas to these internal schemas and extend their learning. MIND Research Institute developed the Learning Path model to describe this powerful learningby-doing process. The visually-based Spatial Temporal (ST) Math instructional software engages students on each step of the Learning Path with interactive visual manipulatives, which students use to solve problems while actively building their conceptual understanding of mathematics. The Learning Path model was created using the latest neuroscience research, as well as years of classroom experience. This model is constantly evolving and improving as further research is conducted on the brain and its learning processes.

WHAT IS SPATIAL TEMPORAL (ST) REASONING?

Picture 1

After students have mastered the visual puzzles in the game, they then proceed to the Language Integration JiJi Cycle game (Picture 2), which connects the visual presentation of the problem to the symbolic.

Born out of neuroscience research at the University of California, Irvine, MINDs unique approach accesses the brains innate spatial temporal reasoning ability. This ability, which lies at the core of innovative thinking and sophisticated problem-solving, allows the brain to hold visual, mental representations in short-term memory and to evolve them in both space and time, thinking multiple steps ahead. MINDs approach consists of language-independent, animated representations of math concepts delivered via computer software games.
JiJi is the penguin featured in the ST Math software games. Not only does JiJi motivate and engage children in solving the mathematics in the games, JiJi offers teachers powerful ways to connect math concepts to classroom instruction.

Picture 2

MIND
Research Institute
A neuroscience and education research-based non-profit corporation

For more information, contact us: 888.751.5443 | info@mindresearch.net

www.mindresearch.net

As a former math teacher who relied heavily on manipulatives and visuals, I am ceaselessly impressed with how ST Math similarly presents material in a way that builds rich and flexible understandings. This is not rote practices, this is real number sense.
- Andrew Elliott-Chandler, Principal, Rocketship Si Se Puede

Informative Feedback
Rich,

INFORMATIVE FEEDBACK is a vital part

STEP OF THE LEARNING PATH

DESCRIPTION
By perceiving and interacting in a hands-on environment, students build internal frameworks that describe how things work, which leads to deep conceptual understanding and high-level problem-solving.

CLASSROOM WITHOUT ST MATH

It is often difficult to bring experienced-based learning into the classroom. Traditional manipulatives can be time consuming, difficult to implement, and messy.

ST MATH CLASSROOM
By presenting manipulatives online in the form of immediately accessible puzzles that become increasingly challenging, ST Math provides rich, experienced-based learning.

of every step of the Learning Path. The ST Math program does not simply tell students why they got a problem correct or incorrect. Instead, it visually animates the mathematical consequences of their choices, allowing students to see and gain an understanding of why their solution was successful or unsuccessful.

Experience

LEARNING BY DOING
Connect
Students build connections between related concepts, between current and previously mastered material, and between visual and symbolic representations of mathematics. Traditional curricula do not give teachers time to facilitate connections, often causing students to learn concepts in isolation.
ST Math is structured to help students understand the relationship between concepts through the use of multiple visual representations. Games are leveled to reincorporate previously mastered concepts into current objectives. Specific activities, called Language Integration games, focus on connecting visual representations to symbols and language.

Steps in the Learning Path

The Learning Path has four distinct but interconnected steps that create a guided learning environment for students. In following this process, students naturally develop ownership of their learning and develop a high degree of

INTRINSIC

INFORMATIVE FEEDBACK INTRINSIC MOTIVATION INTERACTIVE

Apply

MOTIVATION to explore problem-solving independently. Through the INTERACTIVE

puzzles found in the ST Math software games, students encounter a level of experiential and individualized learning difficult puzzles to replicate in traditional problemclassroom instruction. The ST Math provide hands-on solving, with immediate and informative feedback, increasing student motivation by struggling with, then overcoming, challenging problems.

Practice

Students strengthen connections and hone skills by repeatedly using their internal frameworks to solve problems.

Practice is often the most heavily emphasized phase in the classroom. Unfortunately this practice is often only procedurally-based with limited or delayed feedback.

Students complete more than 4,000 puzzles in each grade level. Each game provides immediate, informative feedback.

Students generalize the understanding they have gained by solving problems in novel contexts.

Practice for generalization is usually provided in the form of real-world examples, presented as word problems. Students often experience great difficulty accessing these language-based representations.

At the end of many ST Math objectives, there are challenging visual games containing breakthrough problems going beyond what has previously been learned, but which remain universally accessible, engaging, fun and achievable by any student.