Schoolzone teacher-oriented web site approves the E-Blocks Math

Positivo Informática’s multi-sensory learning system was appraised by the independent website that gathers the largest teacher research community in the UK, presenting great results in the classroom pratice and being well evaluated also by its content and designed

CURITIBA, 22/04/2006 - The Schoolzone, an independent web site that covers a wide spectrum of educational resources and issues to sharing good practice and advice, has recently evaluated the E-Blocks Math, the multi-sensory learning system developed by the brazilian company Positivo Informática, with excellent results. “The activities meet many of the objectives for the Renewed Primary Framework for mathematics - the resource covers all of the objectives for early maths development and can be used to complement mathematical teaching in any classroom”, wrote Stacey Myers, the teacher responsible for the evaluation.

Operating under a multi-sensorial approach, associating hardware, software, blocks with numbers, arrows and characters, the E-Blocks Math Learning Table links abstract and concrete to achieve coherent and intuitive learning. Groups of up to 6 students from 3 to 8 years old work through contents such as spatial notion, location, classification, geometric objects, sizes, shapes or forms, dimensions, identification of numbers, putting together mathematical operations for adding and subtracting, sequential patterns, logical instructions and problem solving.

Schoolzone is a teacher-based service appointed by the DfES (now DCSF) to produce evaluations for Curriculum Online, including software, web sites, hardware, peripherals and any other resources, events or projects related to education. The evaluations are objective and comprehensive, focusing on classroom practice, and aimed to spread good practice and to help teachers make informed decisions.

E-Blocks system was used by Stacey Myers in an inner London primary school, at an underachieving Year 1 class with a number of special needs children. The program was introduced using the interactive whiteboard and then used on an individual and group basis by the children. “This program was well-received by the children; their response was very positive. I have seen a noticeable improvement in the children who have been using the program. Their understanding of maths has improved substantially and they are much more confident in using numbers”, commented Myers in her evaluation.

Some highligths of the E-Blocks evaluation results:
- The content on the resource is appropriate for the teaching of initial maths concepts for reception and KS1 classes but can also be used with older children who require additional mathematical support.
- The assessment and tracking capabilities of E-Blocks are very impressive. There are two mains sections to the teacher management system available through the resource. It is possible to see the number of times an activity has been accessed, the amount of time it was took the child to finish the activity, how many questions were answered on the first attempt, how many questions needed more attempts, how many points the group scored, and the percentage of correct answers. This information can then be exported to a spreadsheet or printed and used when setting future work or completing reports. I found it very useful to see which areas of maths the children appeared confident in and in which areas they required additional support.
- The design and navigation of the program is very user-friendly. There weren’t any technical issues experienced and the installation was very straightforward. The story which the resource is built around is appropriate to the target age-range and really brought the content to life.
- There are clear installation instructions, which are accompanied by appropriate photos. The pictures are really useful and help to contextualise the possible use of the product. Even people who do not feel particularly confident with the use of ICT within the classroom would be able to follow these instructions without difficulty.
- Step-by-step instructions are given on the best way to introduce the program to the children. Only one session was necessary to familiarise the children with the program. This was done as a whole class group using the interactive whiteboard. Some of the less-able children needed some extra assistance to fully understand what was necessary for each activity, but were then able to work independently.

To read the complete evaluation at the Schoolzone web site, click here. To learn more about E-Blocks visit the solution hot site at www.eblocks.net.

About Schoolzone:
The Schoolzone web site was set up by a group of enthusiastic teachers and parents in Oxford in 1997, seeing the need for safe, differentiated Internet material which teachers, students and parents could access easily. Currently Schoolzone receives over 20,000 unique users a day, making it one of the UK"s most used educational sites, as well as the biggest – it lists 41,000 educational sites reviewed by teachers, 6,000 events and organisers, 35,000 schools and colleges, 6,200 educational suppliers and many, many thousands of educational products and services. The web site is run and owned by Schoolzone.co.uk Ltd.

About Positivo Informática:
Founded in 1989, Positivo Informática (BOVESPA:POSI3) has a national and international presence, offering the most advanced technology solutions, from the production of computers to the development of educational tools. The company operates through two business divisions: Hardware and Educational Technology. The Hardware Division portfolio offers a complete line of personal computers (desktops and notebooks), servers and printers, and has led the PC domestic market for 13 consecutive quarters according to IDC. In order to provide support for all of its activities, it maintains a technical support network comprising 411 licensed companies, covering every Brazilian city, as well as the CRP (Positivo Relationship Center). In the Educational Technology segment, Positivo Informática offers exclusive solutions, comprising interactive learning tables, educational software and portals, in addition to technical support and professional qualification services for teachers and users. See www.positivoinformatica.com.br