ThinkMath project

The main focus of the ThinkMath project is to produce teaching materials for educators to be used to support children’s cognitive development, more precisely thinking skills and mathematical skills. Materials have been designed for kindergarten, first and second grade children (aged approximately 5-8 years) who have weaknesses in thinking or mathematical skills. We believe that by giving children possibilities to practice these fundamental learning skills some of the later learning difficulties can be diminished. There will be also materials provided for educators about the theoretical framework of thinking and mathematical skills, motivation, and interventions.

Our teaching materials are first studied in pilot studies and only after that published in ThinkMath web-service (free of charge for the users), in that only evidence-based materials will be published. Currently, most of the content in ThinkMath web-service is in Finnish.

Our project started in August 2011. During the first year the teaching materials were planned. In subsequent three years the materials will be piloted in kindergartens and schools, and adjusted based on the feedback.

This four year project is funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.