cengage learning webinar, mathematics: digital games to learn math

Digital Games to Learn Math

Presenter: Dan PetrakDes Moines Area Community College

Email: dgpetrak@dmacc.eduTwitter handle: dgpetrak

What is a Game?

Is Math like a Game?

Goals? Yes Rules? Yes

Feedback system? Eventually…

Voluntary participation? Are you kidding me?

What are we missing?

Engagement and Motivation!Image from www.bigfishgmes.com blog

Raph Koster – A Theory of Fun

Flow

Learning within Flow

Optimal Learning comes from Desirable Difficulty Students should be making errors if we want to

optimize learning Normally very uncomfortable

This is natural when playing games!

Digital Games provide…

• Instant and non-threatening feedback• Mentally Demanding• Customized learning through leveling,

challenge, and game mechanics

Hard Fun!

Fun is the Feeling we get from learning in Flow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/2187892869/sizes/o/

Why Digital Games for Math?

Image from www.bigfishgmes.com blog

Games can help the diverse learners in our classrooms by

Individualized and targeted instruction

Remediation

Optimized learning with Flow

Many math skills fit this model.

Experience

Hypothesize

Feedback loop helps students construct understanding of the rules.We crave patterns and we want to fit our experiences into a schema.

Formalize and Practice

• We can help students formalize what they are experiencing.

• Games can also be used to practice the skills.

Image by Lisa Haney

Ultimately what is our goal?

• Deep procedural understanding• Deep conceptual understanding

Digital games can help students learn and practice math in a fun and natural way!

Motion Math: Conceptual Fractions

Found in:iTunes App Store

Digital games can help students learn and practice math in a fun and natural way!

Algeburst: Simplify Expressions

Found in:iTunes App Store

Digital games can help students learn and practice math in a fun and natural way!

Factor-tris: Factors of Whole Numbers

Found at:HotMath.com

Digital games can help students learn and practice math in a fun and natural way!

Algeboats: Evaluate Expressions

Found in:iTunes App Store

Digital games can help students learn and practice math in a fun and natural way!

Dragon Box: Solving Equations

Found in:iTunes App Store

To find other games

Maria Andersen’s Blog

http://busynessgirl.com/

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Let the Games Begin!