Towards MathsBeats

A Constructionist Approach Combining Music, Movement, Coding and Mathematics in Primary Classrooms

Authors

  • Christie Haddad University College London
  • Abhinand Shibu École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
  • Eirini Geraniou University College London
  • Sokratis Karkalas University College London
  • Manolis Mavrikis University College London

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21240/constr/2025/115.X

Keywords:

adoption of creative learning, creative learning, professional development, transformation of teaching practice

Abstract

This contribution provides an overview of MathsBeat, an interdisciplinary constructionist learning activity designed to engage primary pupils with digital and physical artefacts through rhythm-based composition activities and interactive coding exercises. Framed within a Design-Based Research methodology (Barab & Squire, 2004), we present insights from iterative classroom implementations and practitioner feedback to explore how interdisciplinary tasks can bridge mathematics, music, movement and computational thinking. Our goal with the design of this activity is to engage primary school students with their mental models relating to bodily movement, musical timings, mathematics and computational thinking to capture something they find fascinating – potentially reducing stereotypical views of mathematics as a purely formal domain. Our overarching question during this DBR phase is how students’ and teachers’ experiences MathsBeat inform its iterative design and their views on its potential as an interdisciplinary activity.

References

Barab, S., & Squire, K. (2004). Design-Based Research: Putting a Stake in the Ground. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 13(1), 1-14.

Fishman, B. J., & Penuel, W. R. (2018). Design-based implementation research. In F. Fischer, C. E. Hmelo-Silver, S. R. Goldman, & P. Reimann (Eds.), International handbook of the learning sciences (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315617572

Grover, S., & Pea, R. (2013). Computational thinking in K–12: A review of the state of the field. Educational researcher, 42(1), 38-43.

Haddad, C. (2024). Technology-Enhanced Professional Development in Music for Early Years Practitioners: A Design-Based Study. PhD Thesis. UCL (University College London). https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10201166/

Henriksen, D. (2017) “Creating STEAM with Design Thinking: Beyond STEM and Arts Integration,” The STEAM Journal: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 11. https://doi.org/10.5642/steam.20170301.11

Kynigos, C. (2015). Constructionism: Theory of Learning or Theory of Design? In S. J. Cho (Ed.), Selected Regular Lectures from the 12th International Congress on Mathematical Education (pp. 417–438). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17187- 6_24

Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas.

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Published

24-06-2025

Conference Proceedings Volume

Section

Poster

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How to Cite

Towards MathsBeats: A Constructionist Approach Combining Music, Movement, Coding and Mathematics in Primary Classrooms. (2025). Constructionism Conference Proceedings, 8, 495-497. https://doi.org/10.21240/constr/2025/115.X