While experiential learning has gained attention in educational reforms, its application in Maths is limited. According to David Kolb, experiential learning involves four stages: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation.
In today’s technology-driven world, Maths education is moving beyond traditional methods as smarter tools transform teaching and learning. Engaging with technology improves their understanding and confidence in applying concepts to real-world objects like lawn mowers and gas cylinders. Thus, disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) connect abstract ideas with hands-on experimentation, thereby promoting curiosity and critical thinking.
Maths has often been seen as abstract, but technology is changing this perception. Students today are digital natives who value experiential learning and environments that foster exploration. They engage with AI, augmented reality (AR), and digital platforms and expect immersive and participatory educational experiences. Opportunities like virtual reality (VR) field trips and AI-assisted laboratories are turning this into a reality.
Enrich learning experience
Coordinate geometry uses a precise mathematical framework to describe object locations, which is essential for navigation and the Global Positioning System (GPS). Though comprehending Cartesian coordinates can be challenging, the free interactive programme “GeoGebra” helps enhance understanding by effectively visualising concepts. Students use tiled floors as a grid to simulate the Cartesian plane, marking coordinates with coloured chalk in all four quadrants. They call out ordered pairs like (3, -2) and practise positioning them correctly. Some struggle to place points in the right quadrant, leading to discussions about positive and negative values. Visual aids clarify concepts, engage slow learners, and blend traditional methods with technology to enrich the learning experience.
Trigonometry explores the relationships between the sides and angles of triangles, particularly right-angled ones, and is essential for solving distance and angle problems using trigonometric ratios and the Pythagorean Theorem. Integrating virtual reality (VR) in teaching trigonometry helps students develop crucial 21st-century skills and understand real-world applications of their knowledge. It teaches them how to use a clinometer to measure the height of tall objects.
Visual aids provide alternative methods to find heights using the concept of similar triangles. For example, when measuring a tree’s height, students visualise a right triangle where the tree is the vertical side, its shadow on the horizontal, and the sun’s rays form the hypotenuse. The student’s height and shadow create a similar, smaller triangle. Since the sun’s rays are parallel, both triangles share the same angle of elevation, making their corresponding sides proportional. As experiential learning turns abstract theory into practice, they use the tangent 450 concept in finding heights by equating an object’s height with its shadow length, a property unique to an isosceles right-angled triangle. This technique promotes discussion among students about their findings.
Role of educators
Digital technologies enhance interaction in Maths classrooms, helping students understand complex concepts. However, it’s important to understand that genuine learning cannot be facilitated by technology alone. Hence, this educational evolution necessitates a redefinition of the role of educators. Interestingly, today’s Maths teachers employ technology to spark students’ curiosity, as they become facilitators who promote inquiry and experimentation. Encouraging student reflection enhances understanding and metacognitive awareness. AI tools help teachers quickly identify misconceptions and tailor instruction to individual needs. As a result, technology turns the instructor into a guide for students’ mathematical exploration.
Learning Maths through an advanced technology-driven experiential learning methodology enables students to approach life in innovative ways, rather than merely as a means of knowledge acquisition. It also promotes critical thinking and emotional intelligence, helping children develop essential traits like empathy and resilience. Hence, to cultivate compassionate and adaptable individuals, a holistic approach to development is necessary.
The author is a Hyderabad-based CBSE Certified Maths Facilitator.
Published - December 20, 2025 06:00 pm IST
