The master thesis considers how cognitive styles affect the work with physical and virtual learning manipulatives in a mathematics class. In the theoretical part, I present the characteristics of virtual and physical manipulatives and the differences between them. The effectiveness of the use of learning manipulatives depends on several factors, including the way in which pupils elaborate the acquired information in the classroom. Thus I relate physical and virtual manipulatives with Kolb’s learning styles and Rancourt's cognitive styles. I present the characteristics of various cognitive styles and the Rancourt’s questionnaire of cognitive styles. The empirical part of the thesis consists of a quantitative study in which pupils with predominant noetic, empiric, and rational modus solve tasks on physical and on virtual geoboard. I also consider the performance of pupils that prefer using virtual, physical or no geoboard in solving tasks using physical and virtual geoboard.
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