Learning early math is not just fundamental for children to do better in math; it’s a key predictor of overall school success, according to Agneta Gulz, professor of cognitive science at Lund University, who, along with her research team, developed The Magical Garden. The goal of this work has been to, amongst other things, help children learn early math concepts such as "more," "larger," and "higher," and understand how these concepts are connected.
“Math is not something you are born with; it’s something you learn. However, some children have very little exposure to “early math” concepts at home, while for others, these ideas are reinforced during everyday activities such as playing or setting the table. It’s important that children who get less exposure and practice at home are compensated through preschool. The Magical Garden is designed as an evidence-based, engaging and fun way to do that.”
What will the grant mean for the project?
“It will allow us to improve the quality and experience for children and give us more flexibility to develop the system,” says Agneta Gulz. In the end, the improvements can also help us scale and reach more children: Today, The Magical Garden is used by hundreds of preschools divisions, but with these the improvements, we hope scale by a factor of fifty, allowing many more children to access it."
This may be the first time the Wallenberg Foundation has awarded a proof-of-concept grant to a project in the Humanities or Social Sciences. Funds are typically awarded for projects within technology or medicine.
Agneta Gulz emphasises that The Magical Garden is not just a “game”; it’s a pedagogical system. Importantly it addresses the needs of both students and teachers. “And it’s not just about training maths, it’s about training focus, attention, and perseverance for children. It’s also designed to support preschool teachers; many of whom might think they aren’t good at maths."
This is not your first innovation project. Why is it important to integrate innovation and practical application in your research?
“As a cognitive scientist specialising in learning and teaching, I always have the dual purpose of both discovering and understanding more, and also working to ensure that this knowledge leads to improved learning. This is not always possible; one cannot demand that all research is applicable, especially not directly. But in this case, we have had the good fortune to be able to combine aspects of basic research with so-called real-world value applications.”