RESEARCH ARTICLE
Analysis of Instructional Support Functions of Virtual Manipulatives Using a Digital Typology Framework
Taekwon Son1*, Sheunghyun Yeo2, Minjin Song3
1Jeonju National University of Education
2Dagegu National University of Education
3Visang Education
Correspondence to Taekwon Son, sontaekwon@jnue.kr
Brain, Digital, & Learning. Volume 15, Number 4, 739–757, December 2025. https://doi.org/10.31216/BDL.2025.15.4.12
Received on December 7, 2025, Revised on December 20, 2025, Accepted on December 23, 2025, Published on December 31, 2025.
Copyright © 2025 Institute of Brain based Education, Korea National University of Education This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
The purpose of this study systematically analyzed the teaching and learning support features offered by virtual manipulatives, thereby providing fundamental data for the effective use of digital tools in mathematics education. Eleven highly utilized virtual manipulatives were selected. We analyzed their functionality according to four categories (lesson design, learner exploration, assessment and feedback, and instructor convenience), which reframe Choppin et al.’s (2014) digital typology to fit the context of virtual manipulative tools. The results revealed that most virtual manipulatives offered basic lesson design support features, such as curriculum integration, digital manipulative tool templates, and worksheets. However, features such as simultaneous collaborative learning, process recording, and teacher dashboards were only offered on some virtual manipulatives. The analytical framework and findings presented in this study provide practical guidance for teachers in selecting and utilizing virtual manipulative tools appropriate to their course objectives and learner characteristics.
Keywords
Virtual manipulatives, digital typology, instructional support