LONDON, Nov 23: Scientists designing and testing what they hope might become the classroom of the future have found that ‘Star Trek’-style multi-touch, multi-user desks can boost children’s maths skills. A three-year project with 400 eight to 10-year olds found that using interactive ‘smart’ desks can have benefits over doing maths on paper, and that pupils are able to improve their fluency and flexibility in maths by working together. (agencies)