To advance its core educational objectives, the Museum-Laboratory of Mathematics Education has kicked off its 2026 academic calendar. A primary focus this year is the growth of the Museum-School Network, a collaborative initiative designed to collect vital field data on student learning. The research specifically addresses how to mitigate math anxiety among elementary and middle school students through innovative, hands-on learning methods.
Characterized by intense fear, tension, and mental blocks during problem-solving, math anxiety directly hinders student potential. OECD educational data reveals that Chile faces a critical challenge with this condition, which consistently leads to classroom underperformance. Furthermore, this anxiety causes a long-term aversion to scientific disciplines, affecting female students in particular and limiting their representation in high-demand technical fields.
The event was attended by students from Suns School in Pudahuel and Colegio Bicentenario Paul Harris in Padre Hurtado, who enthusiastically participated in the math learning activities and games.
"Our project aims to collaborate with the Museum-School Network, an initiative funded by the Dicyt Creación grant that allows us to investigate math anxiety among children in public, subsidized, and private schools. Establishing this research framework relies heavily on community support, and it has been invaluable to have the trust of local teachers to move forward with this vital educational initiative," stated Dr. Claudia Vargas Díaz.
Regarding the specialized questionnaires currently being developed with local school communities, the researcher from the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science emphasized their role as foundational research instruments.
"On one hand, our research aims to measure math anxiety among children aged 13 to 15," she explained. "On the other hand, we are collaborating with UNESCO through the ERCE (Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study) assessment. This framework measures the learning achievements of students across Latin America and the Caribbean, while also analyzing critical socio-emotional factors such as student self-efficacy."
Math Spy Activity
The primary objective of the educational workshop was to explain to the students what cryptography is, what it’s used for, and why it's important for ensuring secure communication.
"Our goal was to create encrypted messages with the students to show them the real-world mathematics behind data security," explained the researcher. "They were deeply engaged by the activity after discovering that encryption technology runs on their own cell phones. In fact, their responses were incredibly advanced for their age; they actively engaged in conversations about cybersecurity, which was a truly impressive outcome for our team."
Far beyond basic mathematics, the cross-disciplinary activity highlighted how encryption shapes world history. Students explored the deep connections between science and society by studying ancient military tactics like the Caesar cipher from the Conquest of Gaul and Renaissance technology like the Alberti disk. The curriculum spanned all the way to modern 20th-century history, focusing on complex cipher machines and the decryption of the Enigma code by Alan Turing—a major intelligence breakthrough that intercepted Nazi communications during World War II.
Tabata Abarza Rivero, a fifth-grade student at Sun’s School in Pudahuel, Emilio Garrido, shared her satisfaction with the interactive setup:
"Emilio has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is why I’m accompanying him today. I think this hands-on educational approach to presenting mathematics is fantastic. It is incredibly engaging for the kids, offering focused activities that get both the children and the teachers actively involved. It is clearly highly beneficial for neurodivergent children to learn math in a flexible, non-rigid environment."
Attending language teacher Carmen Díaz Soto emphasized that the initiative serves as a vital bridge for educational equity and university outreach.
"This invitation from the Museum at Usach is excellent because it opens doors for students whose schools don't normally have access to a university environment," Díaz stated. "Many students in Chile aren't fully aware of what a university campus is like. Allowing them to experience its structure, connect with children from other municipalities, and engage in non-traditional activities makes this an incredibly valuable experience for our entire educational community."
To accommodate the growing demand for interactive STEM education, the project is actively planning new museum collaborations and regional presentations. Dr. Claudia Vargas Díaz, museum director and panelist at the 2026 Congreso Futuro, noted that the initiative is ready to open its doors to a wider network of schools.
"We are seeing a massive influx of student visits from both the Metropolitan Region and other regions," Vargas stated. "To support this growth, having a dedicated permanent building for the Museum-Laboratory of Mathematics Education would be ideal to continue serving the educational community."