Dutch ICT expert says Jumpido is part of the classroom of the future

Rein Kroon is an ICT coordinator with the Proo Foundation North Veluwe. He supports and gives expert advice to 31 public schools in the region of North Veluwe, The Netherlands. Part of his job as an ICT coordinator is to find and evaluate innovative ICT resources that can be applied to the Dutch classrooms. He is also a board member of the Digi School and community manager for PO Language Knowledge. Additionally Rein is a member of a working group that advises APS IT diensten on new technologies.

How did you first get familiar with Jumpido?

I am part of an advisory group for APS, which is evaluating the new possible technologies used in the classrooms. As part of the group, APS asked me to study if Jumpido is suitable for our schools.

What was your reaction when you saw the product?

I thought it is marvelous. I was very impressed by Jumpido and what it can do and I loved it, it was something I was looking for. The idea behind Jumpido works great and kids are motivated to use it.

Have you seen anything similar before?

I haven’t seen anything similar that is connected to the school curriculum and allows the students to practice mathematics.

What kind of technologies do you see in the classrooms in the future? How is Jumpido aligning with this vision?

In the future there will be much more technologies based on sensors like the Microsoft Kinect. Systems will recognize the student when he or she enters a room and will provide them with the right exercises. This makes education very adaptive. I also see much more online possibilities like cooperation in learning.

You have tested Jumpido with different students. What are your impressions from those classrooms?

The students like it a lot, especially the young students who want to move a lot. They always want to change places. When I was teaching 6 and 7 years old it was very difficult to make them sit and with Jumpido they can use this energy. Also I have noticed that 6 years old can learn things from the curriculum of 10 years olds. For example the inequalities "bigger than" or "smaller than" are not taught to 6-7 years old, but with a little help from the teacher, the students pick it very fast and can solve more complicated problems without difficulty.

In which school have you tried Jumpido?

I tried Jumpido in Daltonschool de Vlinderboom. This school is situated in Ermelo, The Netherlands.

Did you manage to involve the entire class?

I didn’t really have to do anything additional in order to include all the students. When we are playing Jumpido all students follow the game and are involved with everything that is happening and solve the problems themselves.

What are the benefits of Jumpido in your opinion?

The students can use it themselves. The teacher does not have to worry about what problems the students are doing and can spend more time with other children who need more attention.

Would you recommend Jumpido to other teachers?

Certainly, of course!

How do you think Jumpido will be helpful for them?

It gives them an opportunity to make math adaptive. Students can work at their own level or interest. Jumpido makes math nice to do.