Math anxiety affects countless students, often turning a subject of logic and beauty into a source of fear. For Shivanjali Sapra, a Grade XI student with a passion for technology and education, this challenge became an opportunity to rethink how math is experienced. She created TechnoMath Playground — a physical, tech-enabled learning environment where students run, play and interact with concepts that once felt intimidating. By blending Arduino circuits, Raspberry Pi systems and active learning, she is helping students rediscover confidence and joy in math. Her journey reflects how young innovators can reshape education by connecting creativity, empathy and real-world problem-solving.

Excerpts from an interview with Shivanjali Sapra

Q: Can you share about your background and what first drew you to technology and education?

I’m a Grade XI student at Amity International School, Saket, where I study Physics, Chemistry, Math, Economics and Psychology. Math has always been my favourite subject because it pushes me to think both logically and creatively. But as I went deeper into advanced math, I realised how often it was taught through formulas rather than true understanding or application. At the same time, growing up around technology showed me that tech isn’t just about devices or code — it’s a medium for creativity and problem-solving. I loved the idea that technology could make learning more intuitive and engaging. For me, it became the perfect bridge between creativity, logic and impact.

Q: What inspired you to create TechnoMath Playground, and how did you identify math anxiety as a problem worth solving?

Math has always come naturally to me, so I was surprised whenever people reacted with disbelief when I said it was my favourite subject. Over time, I noticed that many bright, capable students experienced intense stress around math — some froze during tests, and others lost confidence after a single bad score. That’s when I realised math anxiety wasn’t about capability; it was about perception and how math is taught. I wanted to change that narrative. TechnoMath Playground grew out of this — a space where students can interact with math in a fun, hands-on way, using technology to make concepts feel alive rather than abstract or intimidating.

Q: How does the TechnoMath Playground combine physical activity and technology to make math more engaging?

TechnoMath is essentially math in a playground format. I built a technology-powered setup where students run, move and tag different poles as part of solving math problems. The entire system is portable and self-sustaining, so it can be set up in different environments. The goal was to transform learning into an experience — something active, physical and enjoyable.

Q: Could you explain how you use tools like Scratch, Arduino or Raspberry Pi to create these installations? How does this differ from traditional classroom teaching?

I wanted students to experience math, not just see it on a blackboard. So the playground combines hardware and software to create interactive learning. The Arduino controls the circuit system inside the option poles, each equipped with RFID tag readers. These detect a student’s selection and record the exact time, allowing every interaction to be tracked in real time. Each of the four 3D-printed boxes carries these components, turning a quiz into a physical event.

The Raspberry Pi serves as the main processing unit — it runs the platform, hosts the website and connects to a database that stores quizzes, responses and automatically generated analytics. This is very different from traditional teaching. Instead of sitting quietly through a stressful test, students move, play, choose and compete. Math becomes dynamic and joyful.

Q: As a student, how do you balance academics, extracurriculars and running such a project?

I’ve learned that most of my stress comes not from work but from work left undone. So I plan early and break big tasks into smaller, manageable steps. My rule is to “eat the frog first” — I start the day with the hardest task. Balancing everything can be hectic, but prioritising helps. Some days are for academics, and others are for building or testing new features. What keeps me motivated is the excitement of seeing my classroom learning turn into something meaningful in the real world.

Q: Have you received any feedback that showed the concept was making a real difference?

Yes, absolutely. Students who once feared math have shown noticeable improvement after using TechnoMath Playground. Teachers tell me participation has increased, especially among students who were previously disengaged. One moment I’ll never forget was when a student I didn’t know came up to me and said TechnoMath changed her entire perspective on math. She even asked if she could join the program and help continue its mission. Moments like that remind me why I started.

Q: What challenges did you face while implementing the playground — technical or otherwise — and how did you overcome them?

The first challenge was my own limited coding experience. Building a digital system from scratch felt overwhelming. I took online courses through MIT OpenCourseWare, studying programming, circuits and embedded systems. I also worked with professionals to understand how to integrate Arduino with Raspberry Pi. Coding was another hurdle — I spent countless hours testing, fixing and rebuilding until the system worked smoothly. There were attitudinal challenges, too. Some students were hesitant, unsure how math and a playground could go together. So I started with simple live demonstrations, letting them try the quizzes themselves. Once they saw how fun and interactive it was, participation grew naturally.

Q: How do you think technology can make education more inclusive and enjoyable, especially in STEM?

Technology is powerful because it allows you to create almost anything. For STEM education, tech can make learning more accessible, interactive and inclusive. It can turn abstract ideas into experiences, support different learning styles and make classrooms more equitable and engaging.

Q: How has early recognition for your initiative shaped your motivation or ambitions?

The enthusiasm and encouragement I’ve received have pushed me to keep improving TechnoMath. Feedback from students and educators motivates me to scale it further and refine the experience.

Q: What are your future plans for TechnoMath Playground? Do you see it scaling across schools?

Definitely. I hope to see TechnoMath Playground adopted widely in schools. I believe it has the potential to transform how math is taught and experienced, making learning more joyful and confidence-building for students across the country.