We built a digital blackboard where students solve math problems by hand while an AI assistant analyzes their work in real-time. The AI recognizes patterns in their approach and provides targeted guidance when they're stuck – similar to how a human tutor would work through a problem together with a student.
This grew out of a Stanford project after noticing the overabundance of "math" apps that were essentially games with occasional math problems. We wanted to create something that focuses on building actual mathematical thinking.
Our approach:
Students write directly on the screen (like paper, but digital)
The AI parses their handwriting and solution approach
It identifies exactly where they're struggling and offers personalized hints
We focus on foundational skills: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
We've been testing with a small group of children and seeing encouraging results – improved understanding of mathematical concepts rather than just memorization.
Technical stack: React, Gemini 2.0 flash for handwriting recognition and solution analysis.
Looking for feedback on both the educational approach and technical implementation. First unit is free to try at learnwithlinks.com
