What Are Virtual Manipulatives?

As a result of innovations in technology, the prevalence of the Internet, and the increasing availability of computers in classrooms and homes, an enhanced approach for teaching and learning mathematics using manipulatives and computers is emerging. This new approach essentially creates a new class of manipulatives, called virtual manipulatives, as well as new capabilities, or toolkits, for computer programs that use visual representations. These new virtual manipulatives have all the useful properties of existing computer manipulatives while overcoming many of their disadvantages, yet very little is known or written about them. The purpose of this article is to establish a working definition of virtual manipulatives, highlight examples of virtual manipulatives on the Internet, and discuss their current and potential classroom use.