THE USE OF VISUAL AIDS IN MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE CLASSROOMS (THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH – THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE 21ST CENTURY)

Abstract

The article presents a historical-pedagogical and didactic analysis of the evolution of visual aids in mathematics and computer science classrooms in Ukraine from the second half of the twentieth century to the first quarter of the twenty-first century.
Drawing on archival materials, regulatory documents, contemporary curricula, and relevant scholarly literature, the study examines the organizational, methodological, and educational factors that shaped the development of classroom visualization and educational environments.
The findings demonstrate that the evolution of visual aids was closely associated with the development of the classroom-based system of instruction, modernization of school infrastructure, transformations in mathematics and computer science curricula, and the gradual digitalization of education. In the 1950s–1970s, visualization was dominated by material and graphic forms, including charts, diagrams, posters, geometric models, and demonstration materials. During the 1980s–1990s, the expansion of technical teaching aids created the foundation for specialized computer science classrooms. In the early twenty-first century, educational visualization shifted toward digital and interactive formats based on multimedia resources, computer technologies, algorithmic visualization, digital modelling, and STEM-oriented practices.
The study reveals disciplinary differences in the functions of visualization. In mathematics classrooms, visual aids primarily support the interpretation of abstract concepts and the development of logical, spatial, and functional thinking. In computer science education, visualization performs a dual role by functioning both as a teaching tool and as an object of learning through interfaces, algorithms, data structures, and digital processes.
It is argued that contemporary educational visualization should be understood as a multi-representational and integrated learning environment rather than a collection of separate teaching materials.
The article concludes that effective use of visual aids contributes to improving educational quality, strengthening subject competencies, and creating flexible educational environments responsive to current technological and pedagogical challenges.

Received: February 10, 2026
Accepted: March 02, 2026
Published: May 28, 2026