Papermath: Bridging 2D and 3D Geometry Learning Through Physical-Digital Interaction

Papermath is a paper-based tool that bridges the gap between 2D and 3D geometry in schoolchildren’s mathematics education through physical-digital interaction. Schoolchildren have problems learning geometry in school because it is often not tangible and interactive enough, as well as not forgiving mistakes. So, it is hard for them to combine abstract geometry with the real world. Digital tools can help to learn exploratively, but the haptic feedback is missing. Our work addresses this gap and combines paper-folded models with interactive, smart-enabled systems in the form of a tablet app. We, a mathematician/computer scientist and a product designer, collaborated with 6 children and a math teacher to develop Papermath, which combines existing paper models with an app. After the app is installed and the paper model is smart enabled through conductive stickers, the students can explore abstract variables by using intuitive gestures. Our goal is to inspire students to enjoy math more through creativity and hands-on exploration.