Virtual Versus Physical Number Line Training for 6-Year-Olds: Similar Learning Outcomes, Different Pathways

According to previous research, young children’s numeracy skills may be scaffolded by practicing on the number line. A number line estimation task (NLET) is often conducted with pen and paper, while linear number games are often implemented on a computer or a tablet. If and how the format—physical or digital—influences the accuracy of the estimations is, however, not well-known. If regarding NLET performance as dependent on specific strategies and hypothesizing that these strategies may be affected by the material used, we may also assume that different materials may either support or hinder children’s learning. In this paper, we explore whether training with a physical versus a virtual NLET game will affect children’s strategies when solving NLETs, and if these strategies relate to the accuracy of the estimations. Sixty-two 6-year-old children played an NLET game (virtual or physical) for three sessions, being scaffolded and guided by a researcher. NLET performance was measured by pre- and post-tests, as well as during the intervention. The results show that even if the condition did not significantly affect the children’s overall numeracy skills, the children in the physical condition did express more advanced strategies during the intervention. These strategies, in turn, predicted NLET performance.