comparison between virtual manipulative and physical manipulative material

On the computer, there was no way to lose pieces, or to have a set that was not complete or correct. The physical sets of tangrams frequently got mixed together and students would drop a piece on the floor and then be frustrated that they couldn't get their puzzle to work. At the same time, the physical tangrams allowed all of the students to work at the same time and are extremely cheap, as each student could cut their own set off a photocopy.

virtual manipulatives puts hundreds of manipulatives at your finger tips with simply a few clicks of the mouse. These manipulatives are usually free, and have become easy to find and use. Meanwhile, physical manipulatives often have to be ordered or purchased at teaching specialty stores, and many times, they are overpriced, causing many users to buy the materials to make their own in a time consuming process.

virtual manipulatives are mess-free. One of the downsides of using physical manipulatives has always been the cleanup afterwards. Students drop pieces on the floor, throw them across the room, and spill big containers of small pieces. With virtual manipulatives, there is no mess or cleanup involved at all.

the virtual manipulatives are safe and prevent classroom disturbances. As students cannot throw or eat virtual manipulatives, using them over physical manipulatives greatly reduces the problems that may arise from these behaviors. On the flip side, however, giving students access to the internet is often dangerous. Students are easily tempted to stray to sites that are unsafe, inappropriate for school, or simply distracting. However, with good internet security blocks and close monitoring, these problems may be overcome.

¨Overall, research has shown that virtual manipulatives may increase the creativity, complexity and number of solutions attempted by the student. Virtual manipulatives may help guide students to use the desired strategies in solving the problem, facilitating the development of deeper understanding of the mathematics behind the problems.