{"id":1142,"date":"2026-06-01T08:26:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T07:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/?p=1142"},"modified":"2026-06-01T08:26:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T07:26:23","slug":"seeing-early-maths-differently-a-360-view-of-preschool-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/2026\/06\/01\/seeing-early-maths-differently-a-360-view-of-preschool-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeing\u00a0Early Maths Differently: A 360\u00b0 View of Preschool Learning\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Written by Dr. Natalie Flint, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Early Mathematics Learning&nbsp;at Loughborough University. Her research explores how mathematics learning&nbsp;interactions unfold in early&nbsp;childhood&nbsp;settings. This blogpost draws&nbsp;together&nbsp;ideas discussed at&nbsp;a&nbsp;Festival of Creative and Digital Methods&nbsp;workshop delivered by members of&nbsp;Loughborough University\u2019s award-winning&nbsp;Discourse and Rhetoric Group&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/darg.lboro.ac.uk\">DARG)<\/a> and&nbsp;recordings of children in pre-school settings&nbsp;collected&nbsp;in&nbsp;Challenge 3&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Centre for Early Mathematics Learning&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ceml.ac.uk\">(CEML)<\/a>.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding what&nbsp;<em>actually<\/em>&nbsp;happens&nbsp;when young children explore mathematical ideas is central to early childhood mathematics education research. Yet the fine-grained details of how 3\u20134-year-olds&nbsp;use talk, gesture, materials, and space during learning activities can be difficult to capture with traditional video. Early years interactions are dynamic, with hands moving quickly, objects shifting constantly, and children\u2019s attention changing moment by moment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this year\u2019s&nbsp;<em>Festival of Creative and Digital Methods&nbsp;(Loughborough University)<\/em>,&nbsp;DARG colleagues and I&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;delegates&nbsp;to an emerging methodological approach: interactional analysis&nbsp;of recordings captured by&nbsp;360\u00b0 cameras, supported by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dote.aau.dk\">DOTE<\/a>, a&nbsp;software&nbsp;tool designed for the fine-grained study of social interaction. While Conversation Analysis (CA) has long helped researchers understand real world communication, combining CA with 360\u00b0 footage opens powerful new possibilities for studying early childhood learning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A New Lens on Early Mathematics Interactions<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In ongoing research within&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ceml.ac.uk\">Centre for Early Mathematics Learning&nbsp;(CEML)<\/a>, compact 360\u00b0 cameras&nbsp;are placed&nbsp;directly on tables&nbsp;in the preschool. This setup allows us to record from the centre of children\u2019s engagement, capturing:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>every child seated around the table\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>their hands, gestures, gaze, and use of materials\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the spatial arrangement and movement of mathematical objects\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>peer collaboration, turn taking, and shared problem solving\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike traditional cameras, which often miss crucial details, 360\u00b0 footage allows researchers to follow how children\u2019s attention shifts, how they manipulate objects, and how mathematical reasoning\u00a0emerges\u00a0through embodied action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How We Capture the Interactions: Cameras and Recording Setup<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To document these rich\u00a0learning\u00a0interactions, we use a\u202fGoPro Max\u202fcamera positioned at the centre of the activity table. The GoPro Max records in full 360\u00b0 format and is compact enough to sit unobtrusively among the materials children are using. This placement ensures that every child seated around the table is visible, along with their hands, gaze, gestures, and moment\u00a0to moment engagement with the mathematical resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"635\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG2_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-1024x635.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1145\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.6126226115127336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG2_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG2_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG2_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-768x476.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG2_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-1536x952.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG2_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-2048x1269.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A 360\u00b0 camera on a children&#8217;s working table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wide field of view and stabilisation provided by the GoPro Max make it ideal for early childhood environments where interactions are rapid and materials are constantly being&nbsp;manipulated. Because it captures movements from all directions, the camera allows us to see delicate adjustments to objects, fleeting gestures, and subtle spatial reorganisations that often signal emerging mathematical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What 360\u00b0 Video Helps Us See in Early Maths<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">360\u00b0 video offers a uniquely rich view of early mathematical thinking. It enables researchers to:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>trace spatial arrangements as children line up counters, cluster shapes, or compare lengths&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>observe gesture and fine motor action involved in counting, grouping, measuring, or patterning&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>identify&nbsp;coordination within small groups, including negotiating turns and sharing materials&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>capture micro moments of reasoning, for example when a child lightly adjusts objects to check equivalence&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>support educators\u2019 reflections by revealing aspects of practice not visible in real time&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>These insights allow researchers to examine early learning as it unfolds, revealing the multimodal foundations of young children\u2019s mathematical thinking.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>More about DARG<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/darg.lboro.ac.uk\">DARG, Loughborough University\u2019s world leading Discourse and Rhetoric Group<\/a>,&nbsp;has a long-standing tradition of excellence in Conversation Analysis and Discursive Psychology, supported by weekly data sessions, workshops, and collaborative events that bring together researchers who study language and social interaction across many real-world settings. This vibrant interdisciplinary community provides an ideal environment for advancing methodological innovation, including 360\u00b0 video analysis for educational research.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are interested in\u00a0analysing\u00a0360\u00b0 footage\u00a0(or other types of video footage), exploring how multimodal analysis could enhance your educational research, or connecting with collaborators for future projects, we would love to hear from you.\u00a0Together, we can open new ways of understanding learning, teaching, and the everyday interactions that shape them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG3_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1144\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG3_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG3_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG3_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG3_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2026\/03\/IMG3_1__convertio.com-convertio.com_-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The DARG group (Tilly on the left)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Learn more at:<\/strong>\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/darg.lboro.ac.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/darg.lboro.ac.uk<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&nbsp;want to thank the nurseries\/schools, practitioners, and children for&nbsp;participating&nbsp;in this research. We are grateful to the educational practitioners with whom we co-designed the game, and those who helped with the piloting phase. This work was partially supported by UKRI Economic and Social Research Council [grant number ES\/W002914\/1]).&nbsp;I would like to thank DARG colleagues,&nbsp;Dr Saul Albert, Dr Magnus Hamann, Dr Laura Jenkins, and Dr Emma Richardson,&nbsp;for running the session that informed this blog and for offering thoughtful feedback that strengthened the development of the blog.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by Dr. Natalie Flint, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Early Mathematics Learning&nbsp;at Loughborough University. Her research explores how mathematics learning&nbsp;interactions unfold in early&nbsp;childhood&nbsp;settings. This blogpost draws&nbsp;together&nbsp;ideas discussed at&nbsp;a&nbsp;Festival of Creative and Digital Methods&nbsp;workshop delivered by members of&nbsp;Loughborough University\u2019s award-winning&nbsp;Discourse and Rhetoric Group&nbsp;(DARG) and&nbsp;recordings of children in pre-school settings&nbsp;collected&nbsp;in&nbsp;Challenge 3&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Centre for Early Mathematics [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":769,"featured_media":460,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"lboro_blog_alternative_thumbnail_image":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[143,45],"tags":[206,83,151],"class_list":["post-1142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cognitive-research","category-methods","tag-assessment-methods-2","tag-early-years","tag-mathematics-education"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/769"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1142"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1200,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142\/revisions\/1200"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/cmc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}