Fun Maths for All Game Development Students

2006

Our goal in this research is to create a comprehensive framework establishing guidelines for the design of math fluency games for adult learners. Our user-centered design approach consisted of focus groups with students, faculty, and administrators from a two-year and a four-year institution to probe more deeply into the ways students perceive the value of math in everyday activities. Using our comprehensive focus group protocol, we evaluated users' perception and understanding of culture-based mathematics to determine valueladen game designs that will promote math fluency among developmental math students. During these sessions, we collected quantitative and qualitative data in the form of survey data, play-test data, and field notes. The data speak to various issues such as games as a learning tool, interests and mismatches between designers and the target audience. Moving forward, our research will provide future directions for defining holistic usability by integrating user-centered design and game design.

Doctoral Dissertation, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 2011

Mathematics achievement is an area in which American precollege students are faltering. Emerging research suggests that making mathematics instruction relevant and applicable in the lives of youth may impact math achievement, especially when it capitalizes on high-interest technologies such as video games. Employing a quasi-experimental and descriptive approach, this study examined the mathematics (i.e., numbers and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and probability) that middle school students employed during their design and construction of video games. First, it examined the mathematics content learned by 19 sixth and seventh graders during their analysis, synthesis, and programming of three video game projects over 7 months. Second, it measured the ability of the student programmers to laterally transfer mathematics content from the technology context of game production to the traditional context of paper-and-pencil tests. Third, it evaluated student attitudes toward mathematics prior to and following video game design and construction. The performance of student programmers was compared with that of a control group of nonprogrammers on measures of transfer and affect. iii Results indicated that middle grade students successfully identified the events defining game play (e.g., motion, collisions, and scoring) of three, simple video game models. They successfully represented video game events in both mathematical and programming forms by writing and coding (a) boundary conditions using inequalities, (b) coordinate locations and identification of coordinate convergence, (c) directional headings, (d) uniform linear motion, (e) variable changes, and (f) probability-based consequences. They were also successful in writing programming code for their own functional video games, with a high percentage of relevant mathematics content incorporated therein. However, while treatment students transferred mathematical knowledge from the technology to the traditional context, it appeared that, without explicit bridging, the transfer was no better than comparison students. Treatment students also demonstrated no significant changes in attitude associated with designing and constructing video games. This study demonstrated that video game design and construction can be a viable – although not significantly different – method, cognitively and affectively, of instructing age-appropriate, standards-based mathematics content.

2011

Drawing on the work of James Gee in literacy, we apply his contemporary approach to not only the knowledge systems of mathematics but also the processes by which school mathematics can be learned through the digital games environment. Using a number of games, and young people working these games, we propose that there are novel ways to learn not only many of the concepts that are integral to school mathematics, but such concepts can be learned in ways that are deep. The games environment offers an engaging environment that is substantially different from that experienced in formal school settings. We suggest that many of the principles that underpin the games environment may create new opportunities for teaching and learning that will (re)engage learners and learning of school mathematics.

Excitement about learning from computer-based games has been palpable in recent years and has led to the development of many educational games. However, there are relatively few sound empirical studies in the scientific literature that have shown the benefits of learning mathematics from games as opposed to more traditional approaches. The empirical study reported in this paper provides evidence that a mathematics educational game can provide superior learning opportunities, as well as be more engaging. In a study involving 153 students from two middle schools, 70 students learned about decimals from playing an educational game—Decimal Point—whereas 83 students learned the same content by a more conventional, computer-based approach. The game led to significantly better gain scores in solving decimal problems, on both an immediate (d = .43) and delayed (d = .37) posttest and was rated as significantly more enjoyable (d = .95). Low prior knowledge students especially benefitted from the game. This paper also summarizes the game's design characteristics.

Creative Education, 2014

The way in which students are being educated is evolving; the traditional teaching paradigm, where formal and non-formal education are treated as a mutually exclusive, must be changed and turned into a new learning paradigm where formal and non-formal education are treated as one in order to achieve a meaningful and relevant learning. In Mexico, it is clear that educational level of students is barely improving in elementary school students, considering basic topics on Math, Science, and Spanish. There is a need to integrate more efficient mechanisms, like serious video games, in non-formal environment for students and increase learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Therefore, it is envisaged as a possibility, the large scale production of video games to address this problematic. But, a reason why it is not often carried out the large scale development of digital resources is the lack of well-defined development processes and documented experiences. This research will provide solution to the lack of well-defined development processes for large scale production of serious video games, presenting a proposal for a development process with fundamentals in software engineering. The overall findings of the research show that there is an improvement in the knowledge acquisition of the students.

2011

Video games have tremendous potential in mathematics education, yet there is a push to simply add mathematics to a video game without regard to whether the game structure suits the mathematics, and without regard to the level of mathematical thought being learned in the game. Are students practicing facts, or are they problem-solving? This paper examines several schema for assessing how the structure of a video game interacts with the mathematical content. The schema include whether the mathematics is intrinsic to the structure of the game, and whether the game is epistemic, that is, whether players take on the identity of a mathematician or problem-solver while playing. Implications for future video games are discussed.

International Review of Contemporary Learning Research, 2012

The primary focus of this study was to investigate the impact of games activities in mathematics classes. The study incorporated a pre-post approach that involved surveys to assess students‘ perceptions of psychosocial features of the learning environment, academic efficacy and students‘ enjoyment of mathematics lessons. A sample of 90 students from three colleges in the United Arab Emirates participated in the study. After the initial collection of quantitative data, Jeopardy!-type games were introduced to 90 students over a six-week period. The findings suggest that, during exposure to games, students experienced an improvement in the three psychosocial features of the learning environment (teacher support, involvement and personal relevance) and also academic efficacy and enjoyment of mathematics lessons. The results of this study offer potential opportunities for mathematics educators to incorporate the use of mathematical games in the curriculum as a practical way to improve classroom environments and students‘ attitudes.

2019

New technologies and media aim at triggering student interest in mathematics and at making learning an entertaining process. However, playful math games need to provide learners with a better experience, which is connected with an engaging gameplay. Popular game mechanics could be used in order to integrate learning in the playing activities. This research employs the Super Mario game format for the design of a playful educational serious game in the context of math education. Mario Maths is addressed to students of 12 and 13 years old and aims to the practice of divisibility criteria. Mario collects numbers instead of coins that must be exactly divided with the number - target, avoiding or eliminating the wrong answers. A wrong choice transports Mario to a subterranean world which informs him for his mistake, but with no influence on the final goal achievement according to a constructive error and trial method. In the end of each track, the player is taking feedback of his effort i...

i-manager's Journal of Educational Technology, 2008

In this study, researchers evaluated the usability of game environments for teaching and learning about mathematical functions. A 3-Dimensional multi-user computer game called as Quest Atlantis has been used and an educational game about mathematical functions has been developed in parallel to the Quest Atlantis’ technical and pedagogical structure. The pedagogical aspects of the game were based on three theories of learning: experience-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and portfolio-based learning. For evaluating the effectiveness of the environment, four learners participated in the implementation in a lab environment and researchers observed and interviewed them. This paper includes information about the design process of the game world, an evaluation of its implementation, and reflections of the researchers.