Excerpt:
In the Mathematical Laboratory of the University Museum of Natural History and Scientific Instruments there are about 160 mathematical machines built by teachers of Liceo A.Tassoni in the scope of an innovation project for the teaching of geometry developed by the Nucleo di Ricerca in Storia e Didattica della Matematica (University of Modena) . The project , coordinated by prof. Mariolina Bartolini Bussi (bartolini@unimo.it) has produced mathematical machines, didactical itineraries, animation films and simulations by computer. With these teaching aids we introduce a historical dimension and a manipulative and visual one in our classrooms. Our didactical research purpose is the historical contextualization of problems, of theories and of methods.Many "machines" realize projects or ideas of mathematicians, from the Ancient Greek up to now. For the use of these "machines" in the classroom, students have to elaborate abstract themes and proofs.