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Stereotypes about men being better than women at mathematics appear to influence female students' interest and performance in mathematics. Given the potential motivational benefits of digital learning games, it is possible that games could help to reduce math anxiety, increase self-efficacy, and lead to better learning outcomes for female students. We are exploring this possibility in our work with Decimal Point, a digital learning game that scaffolds practice with decimal operations for 5th and 6th grade students. In several studies with various versions of the game, involving over 800 students across multiple years, we have consistently uncovered a learning advantage for female students with the game. In our most recent investigation of this gender effect, we decided to experiment with a central feature of the game: its use of prompted self-explanation to support student learning. Prior research has suggested that female students might benefit more from self-explanation than male students. In the new study, involving 214 middle school students, we compared three versions of self-explanation in the game - menu-based, scaffolded, and focused - each presenting students with a different type of prompted self-explanation after they solved problems in the game. We found that the focused approach led to more learning across all students than the menu-based approach, a result reported in an earlier paper. In the additional results reported in this paper, we again uncovered the gender effect - female students learned more from the game than male students, regardless of the version of self-explanation - and also found a trend in which female students made fewer self-explanation errors, suggesting they may have been more deliberate and thoughtful in their self-explanations. This self-explanation finding is a possible key to further investigation into how and why we see the gender effect in Decimal Point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious games, games-based learning, and simulation-based learning have been used to teach Mathematics at various educational levels. In this paper we shall present a design process and the first steps towards an extended realities (XR) collaborative lab for teaching of mathematics at HE level, which is currently under implementation. Designing for XR applications is a complex task that requires knowledge from multiple disciplines in terms of interaction design, user experience, programming, and content creation. This complexity increases when the XR application is for educational purposes. XR education applications require additional competencies for defining learning objectives, designing activities that ensure that the objectives are achieved, and know-how regarding the integration of the application in the curriculum, whilst, at the same time, overcoming external barriers such as student access to technology and institutional support. The design process proposed in this paper aims to give guidance to designers of XR applications that are integrated in an education context. The design process is then applied in the design of XR Maths, a XR mathematics collaborative lab which aims to help students understand and familiarise themselves with mathematical concepts and improve the learning experience offering an additional teaching tool to lecturers. The purpose is to complement, and not replace, frontal teaching of Mathematics in different disciplines across different programs, supporting lecturers rather than being their substitute. To gather students’ views and initial requirements regarding the use of XR for teaching mathematics, a survey and follow-up interviews were conducted between July and September 2020. The sample targeted were first year students enrolled in six different programmes at the University of the West of Scotland that involved mathematics modules. Lecturers in mathematics were also consulted to understand how the subject is taught to students from various programmes. In this paper, we propose a process for designing XR application for education and initial findings regarding the user and functional requirements for the XR Maths lab as well as the limitations and barriers that need to be overcome for the success of such platform are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports the results from an ongoing project that aims to develop an engaging and effective digital game for training conceptual rational number knowledge. The overall research approach is design science. In the paper we report the results of an iteration in which we studied how students used a Semideus School game prototype and how they experienced the core mechanics of the game. 20 fourth graders and 32 sixth graders played Semideus School game for approximately 2.5 hours. Students were allowed to freely play the game with their iPads. Playing experience was studied with a digital questionnaire that included items about flow experience (Flow Short Scale), perceived playability, and acceptance of game-based math training. Additionally, a researcher observed the playing sessions and discussed with the students about the implementation of the game. Students experienced reasonable high flow experience while playing the game. The results revealed that 4th graders would be more willing to study rational numbers with a game and they also appreciated the playability of the game more than sixth graders. Moreover, sixth graders demanded more complex game mechanics, but 4th graders were happy with the core mechanics. We redesigned the game mechanics based on the findings. The paper describes the new mechanics and the theoretical basis of the new design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to identify emerging design principles when developing, piloting and implementing gamerelated Design Thinking activities for primary and lower secondary classrooms. The analyses are based on data from the large-scale intervention project GBL21 (Game-Based Learning in the 21st Century), which explores and measures how 1600 students working with game-related design activities in the subjects Danish, mathematics and science are able to develop design competencies such as being able to construct and communicate design solutions. In the paper, we focus on qualitative data from a pilot study on how two teachers adopt and enact one teaching unit in mathematics in grade 7. The challenge for the students is to design and construct a tangram game using the visual block-programming language Scratch with a set of agreed constraints (e.g. constructing pieces of a particular form). In our analysis, we identify design principles that support the enactment of the unit as exemplified by the two teachers. For our purpose, their teaching is interesting because they use quite different strategies when adopting the unit. One finding is that the material objects and close attention to dialogue are vital when coupling Design Thinking, game-like activities with subject matter (e.g. mathematics). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we explore the use of a visual representation to support the discussion of computational thinking and programming curriculums, for implementation in open and democratic education institutions. Several countries are implementing curricular elements from computer science in K12 education. There are several obvious challenges that this change needs to address (e.g. the lack of teachers with sufficient content knowledge). But at their root is a lack of clarity about and tradition for what needs to be learned. The process of forming these curricula can be challenged by 1) a lack of participation because inputs from many different people become overwhelming, 2) a lack of transparency, with respect to the decisions (such as demarcations and trade-offs) leading to the curriculum, and finally the 3) ambiguity surrounding the names and elements of the curriculum, leaving teachers with uncertainty about what specific labels and names involve, and complicating comparisons between curricula. In this paper, we take outset in a splitting of the process of creating curricula into two parts: 1) a mapping of possible/desirable competencies to be developed in a subject and, 2) decisions about which competencies to actually include in a curriculum. We use an existing map previously developed to show central programming, to discuss progression levels. Our work with negotiating learning progression suggests that this approach supports discussion among stakeholders as well as clear declaration of knowledge respecting the many relations between knowledge elements. We use this work to discuss how our division between mapping and curriculum design relates to and addresses challenges in the more well-known division between curriculum design and teacher decision making about what to prioritise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our paper we describe possibilities for development of mathematical thinking through playing selected video games. In detail these games are Warcraft III, Machinarium, Divinity: Original Sin 2, and Cyberpunk 2077. The aim of our paper is to analyse the opportunities for development of mathematical thinking that these commercial games offer. A part of the paper concerns the theoretical background of this problem and the analysis of selected games from the point of mathematical thinking elements. For this analysis we use a qualitative approach - content analysis. In conclusion, we identified that selected games could help in the development of logical, strategical, combinatorial, and probability thinking, spatial ability, and quantitative thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic models have become common in mathematics classrooms. However, their use is often limited to work in plane. This despite the fact that modern technology offers the possibility to work in space. The author presents the potential that 3D projections using anaglyphs offer when teaching geometry in space. He builds on his experience from work with a dynamic geometry programme as well as from his experience from pre-service mathematics teacher education. Solid geometry is one of the fundamental parts of mathematics. The ability to solve geometrical problems is closely connected to spatial imagination. Currently we can observe that pupils and students at all school levels find it more and more difficult to solve spatial problems, as they cannot visualize, make a mental image of the situation. Contemporary children do not manipulate with objects as much as children did in the past and thus lack a sufficient idea of their properties and behaviour. This paper presents those functions of a freeware dynamic geometry programme - GeoGebra that allow 3D projections using anaglyphs. Anaglyphs have been known since mid-19th century. The first learning materials using anaglyphs were published decades ago. Despite this these tools have not become widespread. One of the reasons might be that teachers and learners were confined to the use of ready-made materials that could not be modified. Teachers also could not create materials on their own. Thanks to dynamic geometry programmes this is no longer true. Teachers and pupils now have the chance not only to create their own anaglyphic images and films but also to manipulate with the created objects - to view them in space, rotate them and change their properties in real time by manipulating parameters. The aim of this paper is to point out some possibilities these technologies have for mathematics and mathematics teacher education. The paper presents different types of using anaglyphs in mathematics classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent difficulty of the core subject of Mathematics makes it hard for students of all ages to fully and sufficiently grasp its concepts and engage with it. With such an important matter still being unresolved, in this context, we propose a Game‐Based Learning approach in order to assist the educational process. The main purpose of this paper is the presentation of the design and development of the configurable online two‐dimensional (2D) game “Volcanic Riddles”. This particular game was designed in cooperation with educators, in order to support the teaching of Mathematics in primary school and the first grades of secondary school. The game is configurable in the sense that the (non‐programmer) educator can easily alter several of its parameters, such as the content and total number of the game’s questions or images, via an administration website. Furthermore, the educator can choose which of the game's specific challenges wants to adapt according to the students' needs and level, and thus reuse the game in various educational contexts throughout the school year. Special attention was given so that the administration website is user‐friendly and does not require any programming or scripting knowledge from the user. Regarding the game, basic features of educational games were incorporated in order to enhance its educational value and effectiveness. More specifically, this paper presents the steps followed for the implementation of the game, its technical aspects, as well as the first impressions and evaluation results after it was piloted in the field using real pupils and teachers. The assessment was focused on its usability, effectiveness and motivational appeal. In the pilot study, pupils of various nationalities aged 10‐12 (6th Grade), participated. The results are encouraging and suggest that the game can be used as an effective and motivational learning tool. Finally, some corresponding conclusions and suggestions for further improvement and research are being discussed concisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Games designed for learning need to be enjoyable games with the learning content encoded in the game play mechanism. They also need to be designed in a user-centric way. In this paper we describe the design of a game to teach maths to UK primary school children (age 7-9). Our work follows on from an earlier requirements gathering study where we observed collaborative game play in a commercial game to determine key game characteristics that promote collaboration. This paper reports on the subsequent design steps and how children have been included in the design process to ensure that the user interface is age appropriate and engaging. The pedagogy and the game mechanic for the game design come from the learning outcomes and approaches used in the classroom. However, on their own these can easily lead to a design that the players find boring. By integrating challenge which adapts with player achievement the idea of "flow" can be maintained and thus player engagement sustained. This paper outlines our approach to the game design showing why choices were made about the game levels and how they are designed to achieve engagement and maintain flow while at the same time providing a game mechanic that enshrines the learning outcomes. User input to the design process has been maintained through the use of pilot testing in local primary schools. This testing has shown the game to be effective in the main aims of the design - being engaging and requiring the players to interact with the learning outcome and requiring the players to collaborate. Further longer term testing will be undertaken to evaluate the effect of the game in enhancing player learning of the game objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the courses of the scientific area of Mathematics at ISCAP use multiple choice questions (MCQ) tests as a fundamental part of the assessment. The assessed topics include Differential and Integral Calculus, Algebra, Statistics, and Financial Mathematics. In the undergraduate programs of Accounting, Marketing and International Commerce, these courses are taught in theoretical-practical classes and their main objective is to provide the necessary support tools to other courses of these programs. On the other hand, these undergraduate programs, in particular Accounting, have many classes and many students, so MCQ tests have been an indispensable tool for both continuous and final exam assessment. The open source MOODLE platform, used through a local network intended only for continuous assessment, has been the support software for MCQ tests. In order to integrate student classifications so as to be more easily retrieved by all teachers, and in order to obtain them more quickly, an MS ExcelTM spreadsheet was developed. This allows us to automate the whole process from collecting the students' answers, to obtaining their final classification and calculating important statistics. This paper describes the development process of this tool, which has proved extremely important in the e-assessment method already implemented. Therefore, some of the results presented show: (i) the substantial reduction in the time elapsed between the moment the tests were carried out by the students and the moment of the publication of the grades; (ii) the existence of automatic control in case of duplication of tests by the same student, (iii) the action of complementing MOODLE in the treatment of negative grades of students; (iv) the possibility of performing several statistical analysis that can be organized by class, by subject, by attendance regime to classes (nocturnal versus diurnal), and include comparisons with previous years and tables of frequencies of grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the courses of the scientific area of Mathematics at ISCAP use multiple choice questions (MCQ) tests as a fundamental part of the assessment. The assessed topics include Differential and Integral Calculus, Algebra, Statistics, and Financial Mathematics. In the undergraduate programs of Accounting, Marketing and International Commerce, these courses are taught in theoretical-practical classes and their main objective is to provide the necessary support tools to other courses of these programs. On the other hand, these undergraduate programs, in particular Accounting, have many classes and many students, so MCQ tests have been an indispensable tool for both continuous and final exam assessment. The open source MOODLE platform, used through a local network intended only for continuous assessment, has been the support software for MCQ tests. In order to integrate student classifications so as to be more easily retrieved by all teachers, and in order to obtain them more quickly, an MS ExcelTM spreadsheet was developed. This allows us to automate the whole process from collecting the students' answers, to obtaining their final classification and calculating important statistics. This paper describes the development process of this tool, which has proved extremely important in the e-assessment method already implemented. Therefore, some of the results presented show: (i) the substantial reduction in the time elapsed between the moment the tests were carried out by the students and the moment of the publication of the grades; (ii) the existence of automatic control in case of duplication of tests by the same student, (iii) the action of complementing MOODLE in the treatment of negative grades of students; (iv) the possibility of performing several statistical analysis that can be organized by class, by subject, by attendance regime to classes (nocturnal versus diurnal), and include comparisons with previous years and tables of frequencies of grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparatory courses, provided face-to-face or online, are one common approach to overcome student heterogeneity at the start of tertiary education. Based on the data collected from five cohorts of engineering and computer science students, this paper summarises the research carried out for the joint project optes. Funded by the German government, optes aims at supporting students in the transition phase between secondary and tertiary education. Students' learning activities during the pre-course were related to demographic data, test results, and first year study success. Based on the theoretical framework of self-regulated learning, the goal of the study was to identify drivers of successful pre-course participation, with a special focus on students with low levels of domain knowledge. The results indicated a higher level of guidance, weekly schedules, and support by e-tutors positively affected learning outcomes of students with poor domain knowledge. "At risk" students who participated in e-tutored courses showed more learning activities on the platform and higher learning gains than "at risk" students who participated in alternative face-to-face classes. The evaluations also suggest that to successfully manage the transition to university, students need to learn how to benefit from social aspects of learning, like discussing problems, learning in groups, and help seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning (GBL) is a new educational paradigm. Digital game-based learning (DGBL) is a well established teaching pedagogy in higher education; commonly referred to as a GBL. However, there are many non-digital educational games available which do not require any technological assistance. Non-digital game-based learning (NDGBL) has also many advantages over digital game-based learning in education. Nonetheless, the teacher is the most important part of successful implementation of any DGBL or NDGBL approach. Teachers' perceptions are crucial towards this type of innovative learning because teachers are a bridge between students and games. Many studies were conducted that presents teachers' perceptions on the more popular form of GBL, DGBL approach. There are very few studies presenting teachers' perceptions on NDGBL. Therefore, in this paper, I present teachers' perceptions on my proposed NDGBL approach. This paper provides a critical analysis of teachers' feedback who played non-digital mathematical games to test the effectiveness of my proposed NDGBL for adults in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document describes an experience in the implementation of an educational simulator for mathematics supported by intelligent agents and semantic web technologies. Additionally the main components of the application are described and the application developed shows how the semantic web and intelligent agent technologies can be used in order to improve the performance of these educational software systems supported by pedagogical and didactical modern approaches and all of those items build a model that can be followed to develop. The implementation of this educational simulator shows the advantages in the use of semantic web and intelligent agents in web learning environments and the main contribution of this paper is that it shows how to use these technologies in order to develop educational software for web learning environments and improve the learning experiences in higher education. On the other hand it highlights the methodological design followed in the process of design and development of this tool. Taking into account the experience described in this paper this simulator is a useful tool that is different from the traditional simulators and propose a new tendency in the development of educational simulators for web learning environments. As a result this project proposes an educational simulator which covers students and teachers needs in the topic of conic sections in mathematics being supported by intelligent agents, semantic web and modern pedagogical and didactical approaches. In addition it was completely developed with open source software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning mathematics, and mathematical problem solving in particular, is considered a challenge for some pupils at primary schools. When solving mathematical problems several skills are needed and commonly some children face difficulties in areas like memory, language and spatial aspects. This PhD research aims to investigate whether collaborative computer games can support and motivate UK Key Stage 2 pupils in fostering better understanding of mathematical problem solving. As part of achieving this overall aim, two initial studies are reported in this paper. The research described here has taken a user‐centred design approach and has been two‐fold. Firstly, an initial study was conducted to gain an understanding of the existing teaching environment, methods used and problem solving experiences of both children and teachers in a Key Stage 2 teaching environment. The investigation involved observations of problem solving classes and questionnaires which sought to explore mathematics problem solving difficulties and the role of collaborative games in the actual learning environment. The findings from this initial study indicate that games and collaborative working in mathematics classes could be significant in supporting and enhancing Key Stage 2 pupils in their learning of mathematical problem solving. Therefore it is suggested that collaborative mathematical games could be effective instructional tools for enhancing learning and understanding of mathematics concepts, arithmetic and problem solving. The use of collaboration within such a tool may promote the sharing and discussion of problems and so may be helpful for students who have difficulty in mathematics. The second study aimed to investigate whether and how Key Stage 2 children engaged in a commercially available collaborative problem solving computer game, LegoTM Harry Potter and to examine their levels of collaboration and motivation within the game. The purpose of this study was to gather requirements for a future collaborative computer game designed to teach mathematics problem solving. A mixed‐methods approach of observation and questionnaires has been used. Key Stage 2 pupils were observed during collaborative computer game play and an analysis of their behaviour and interaction was conducted in order to identify the ways in which they collaborated and the elements of the game which promoted motivation and collaboration. Questionnaires were used to investigate elements of the game play which encouraged engagement and collaboration. The findings from the first study show that some, but not all, children found mathematical problem solving challenging but that collaboration and game playing is used and enjoyed during their classroom‐based learning of this. The second study showed that the collaborative computer game did engage the players. Elements of role play, suspense and mystery encouraged motivation and collaboration but there were issues at times with some players not knowing what to do in the game and at other times with providing enough challenge for two collaborating players. Resulting requirements gathered from this include the necessity for clear rules and goals, a playful environment with challenge, mystery and fantasy and a story line that flows through the game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ladybug's Box is a framework of gaming activities aiming to increase early childhood students' motivation and support the teaching of spatial thinking through tablet devices. In this paper, the impact of the framework was tested both in regards to the development of spatial thinking competencies as well as the motivation of students to engage in mathematical activities. The development of spatial thinking skills, such as navigation, orientation, mental representations and working with maps, starting from the early childhood is important for various mathematical competencies, like geometry. The game universe, presented in floor plan view, revolves around a ladybug, which was lost and needs help to find its family inside a carton full of stationery, serving as physical obstacles. Players can navigate by rotating the ladybug and moving it forward or backward. Some activities use a grid of defined possible positions and other activities allow the ladybug to wander freely around space. Ladybug's Box also offers collaborative activities using maps, requiring the collaboration of two or more players to guide the ladybug by giving and receiving directions and understanding map symbolizations. Findings, concerning the support of the development of spatial thinking, suggest that players' ability to complete levels, with ascending difficulty, increased after the first session of the activities. Players showed development in their problem solving skills, as there were optimized ways of completing levels, counting the number of moves and rotations they performed to reach their final destination. There was also considerable improvement in giving and receiving directions when explaining someone's position on a map and following directions. Students showed positive attitude towards the game on organized activities and their free time. This paper offers contribution to the empirical evidence of game based learning in the teaching of spatial thinking skills for the early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent difficulty of the core subject of Mathematics makes it hard for students of all ages to fully and sufficiently grasp its concepts and engage with it. With such an important matter still being unresolved, in this context, we propose a Game-Based Learning approach in order to assist the educational process. The main purpose of this paper is the presentation of the design and development of the configurable online two-dimensional (2D) game "Volcanic Riddles". This particular game was designed in cooperation with educators, in order to support the teaching of Mathematics in primary school and the first grades of secondary school. The game is configurable in the sense that the (non-programmer) educator can easily alter several of its parameters, such as the content and total number of the game's questions or images, via an administration website. Furthermore, the educator can choose which of the game's specific challenges wants to adapt according to the students' needs and level, and thus reuse the game in various educational contexts throughout the school year. Special attention was given so that the administration website is user-friendly and does not require any programming or scripting knowledge from the user. Regarding the game, basic features of educational games were incorporated in order to enhance its educational value and effectiveness. More specifically, this paper presents the steps followed for the implementation of the game, its technical aspects, as well as the first impressions and evaluation results after it was piloted in the field using real pupils and teachers. The assessment was focused on its usability, effectiveness and motivational appeal. In the pilot study, pupils of various nationalities aged 10-12 (6th Grade), participated. The results are encouraging and suggest that the game can be used as an effective and motivational learning tool. Finally, some corresponding conclusions and suggestions for further improvement and research are being discussed concisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we summarize first findings from eedu Elements user experience studies. eedu Elements is a game that brings the whole Finnish maths curriculum (primary school) available for players all over the world and it is optimized for tablets and smart phones. The game is based on teachable agent approach, which means that in the game students can teach skills to their game characters. Research focused on evaluating the implementation of the game and exploring player's attitudes about the game. The participants were Finnish (N = 43) and Ireland (N = 22) primary school students. Group interviews, eye-tracking and observation methods were used to evaluate the eedu Elements game. In general, the game was experienced as good or excellent learning game in all the studied age groups. The results showed that it took less than two minutes to learn how to play the game, but still the players were expecting to learn the gameplay even faster. It seems that users demands are nowadays so high that learning curve should be very steep. Thus the easy of use can be regarded as one of the crucial aspects influencing on diffusion of new game based solutions. Furthermore, the eye-tracking results indicated that players' perception patterns varied a lot and some players even missed relevant information during playing. The results showed that eye-tracking can provide important information from the quality of the game design and this information can be used to improve game's user interface and gameplay. However, we have to be careful when interpreting the eye movement data, because we cannot be sure if the player understands everything that he or she is paying attention to. Thus, eye-tracking should be complemented with offline methods such like retrospective interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last years numerous efforts have been made to interest German adolescents in picking up engineering studies. While these efforts are slowly beginning to show an effect (increasing number of first year students), drop-out rates in engineering are rising. Not all students are equally prepared for their courses of study and not all are aware of the relevance of basic skills in mathematics. Once university courses have started, it is very challenging to meet demands and at the same time close gaps in secondary school knowledge. Thus mathematics, though not being the main interest of future engineers, can become crucial for studying successfully. In order to raise awareness to the importance of mathematics at an early state, Baden- Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Mannheim offers an online self-assessment for prospective engineering students. It can be taken several months before the actual courses of studies begin, so that existing gaps in knowledge can be addressed in the remaining time. After completing the test students are provided with electronic feedback and, if applicable, forwarded to learning modules they can work on. Both self-assessment and learning material are structured and categorized in the same way, totalling ten mathematical subject areas. During the first week at university a second assessment is conducted and students that still have gaps in some mathematical areas are advised to visit additional tutorials. Along with the second assessment goes a questionnaire concerning the individual use of and satisfaction with the learning material. The first data analysis revealed that participants not only differ in their range of knowledge, but also in their motivation and ability to learn self-directed. While nearly all students were highly motivated to self-assess, not all could keep up this motivation in the self-study process. Especially students with lower math grades at school, and therefore maybe less basic knowledge, often failed to improve while students with good school grades not only performed better in the first assessment but could improve much more between the first and second assessment. The article summarizes the findings of both e-assessments and use of e-learning material and discusses questions that arose from the evaluation. Some of the findings were used to adjust the e- assessments' design and to optimize the learning material, others revealed the need of additional research. As the overall group is very heterogeneous and therefore difficult to address in their individual needs a main focus in the future course of the project will be on finding out more about the students' interests and learning objectives and how they might be fostered. A Glossary of terms is also at the end of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litschka, Markom, Schunder (2006) state that "...a knowledge-based economy requires new approaches in management especially with employee oriented actions, because workability, well-being, and creativity of employees determine the success and sustainability of an organization." Such approaches have to be grounded on established learning theories for life long learning which are conducive to knowledge creation and knowledge acquisition. Situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1997), constructivism (Piaget, 1971; Vygotsky, 1978), behaviourism (Thorndike, 1915; Skinner, 1958) and cognitivism (Wertheimer, 1912; Kohlberg, 1972; Mezirow, 1962, all cited by Hergenhahn and Olson (1997: 29-48) have dominated education for more than eight decades. Though each theory has made valuable contributions, management of knowledge requires higher order thinking skills such critical thinking, problem solving and creativity on the part of the manager of the organisational knowledge and the part of the knowledge creator. The importance of these three skills, especially for the last two decades, have not only been accepted as important cognitive skills by educators and employers, but they also form part of the critical outcomes in American educational policies (American college personnel association, 1994 cited by King & Baxter-Magolda, 1996) as well as in South Africa (SAQA, 1998; the White Paper on Further Education and Training, 1998: 21-23). What is suggested here is a new approach to knowledge management, the psycho-pragmatic approach, which makes use of theories of learning of mathematics as problem solving, critical thinking and creativity form the essence of knowledge acquisition (Schoenfeld, 1987; Skemp, 1977). Mathematics has been recognised as a subject that enhances higher order skills because on the one hand requires abstract thinking on the other promotes use and application of knowledge (Pushkin 2007; Alonso, 1992; Forinash, 1992). This new approach makes use of psychological learning theories for generation of knowledge and pragmatism for application of such knowledge. It is of cyclic nature as well as of spiral nature based on the idea of Nonaka and Konno (1998) model of knowledge and of Bruner's (1976) spiral curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics is a subject taught in school from very early on, but nonetheless, many students still find it difficult and frustrating to learn, even in higher education (Berggren, 2018). This frustration may lead the students to think that they are not smart enough which may cause a lack of interest in the subject. The hypothesis that students lack interest in mathematics has been tested by collecting and analyzing data about the students’ attitude towards mathematics. Yet, according to Jo Boaler, every student should be able to learn math because “our brains have [an] enormous capacity to grow and change at any stage of life” (Duval, 2019), and this has been the main inspiration in the development of the game. The focus of this project has its emphasis on how to enhance the interest of learning mathematics for students in elementary school, more specifically fifth and sixth grade students. The final prototype is a video game, where the player is situated in a virtual house environment which resembles everyday situations that the students may encounter in their life. The core mechanic of the game is to solve puzzles disguised as normal house chores like “feeding the dog”. To move through the virtual house, the students must solve the puzzles by using mathematical thinking, thus getting a greater understanding of an application of mathematics in an environment well-known to them. The goal of this project Is to create a game that will introduce mathematical problems through game-based learning, in a manner that creates interest and sparks joy for the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of a tangible game, Inclusive Glossary of Mathematical Terms (GIM), to support the teaching of math and Portuguese sign language (Língua Gestual Portuguesa; LGP) to preschool and first-grade children, with an emphasis on inclusive education, knowledge acquisition, and engagement. GIM is composed of physical cards that are complemented by digital videos that run on an interface designed for this game. The game consists of two sets of cards and respective animations. As an inclusive math glossary, it also includes videos where concepts, characters, and objects are identified through images, words, and sign language. During the development process of GIM, it was possible to involve a multidisciplinary team, of which a Deaf sign language teacher and a sign language interpreter were part to ensure the clarity of the sign language and refine the written sentences accompanying the glossary. In order to validate its contents, a focus group of preschool and primary teachers specialized in the teaching of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) children was formed. A total of 120 children, aged between three and eight years old (M = 5.61; SD = 0.78), and seven LGP and special education teachers from three Portuguese schools participated in the study. The children used GIM in their classrooms, with the assistance of the participating teachers, who were subsequently interviewed to assess their engagement, interest, and learning outcomes. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis procedures, including descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations. The results indicated that GIM has the potential to effectively support the teaching of mathematics and LGP to preschool and first-grade children, especially in inclusive education contexts. The tangible nature of the game facilitated children's understanding of mathematical concepts and LGP, leading to improved involvement in the teaching-learning process. Moreover, the game promoted awareness of diversity and the principles of inclusive education, making it a valuable tool for promoting social inclusion and understanding. However, the study has reduced sample and context-specific limitations, suggesting a need for further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamification encompasses the utilization of "playful" or "game-like" elements within non-gaming contexts. It finds diverse applications, primarily within the realms of education/training and the workplace, with the aim of enhancing teamwork and productivity. Nonetheless, the concept of gamification remains a topic of significant debate. Several authors caution that gamification may undermine intrinsic motivation to learn or perform, particularly among younger audiences. Furthermore, the research community increasingly emphasizes potential negative consequences resulting from specific gamification mechanics, such as competition. In this article, we present an approach to gamification that combines competitive elements, albeit at the level of student groups rather than individuals. The idea is to minimize the exposure of underperforming individuals while capitalizing on collaborative group dynamics, wherein stronger students provide support to weaker ones. We conducted a quasi-experiment, comparing motivation and performance between a gamified classroom scenario and a conventional, non-gamified scenario. The results indicate that the proposed gamification approach boosts motivation and performance in contrast to the non-gamified condition. These findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of the effects of gamification and offer a realistic perspective on its beneficial impacts within educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning is a well-established approach to learning in academia. Contemporary research is mostly based on digital games; physical or non-digital games have received less attention. Digital game-based learning is a popular approach in education. However, educationalists dispute its pedagogical effectiveness and whether the approach is genuinely educational or merely recreational. Digital game-based learning also raises issues of technological barriers in relation to teacher and student knowledge and skills. The use of traditional non-digital games may be an alternative way to address some of these issues of digital game-based learning. Can non-digital games positively contribute to learning outcomes? Can non-digital game-based learning be more easily deployed in some particular subject areas? These are still open research questions for the game-based learning community of enquiry. This paper comparatively evaluates the use of digital and non-digital game-based learning and explores their use in higher education in general and in mathematics in particular. It first of all presents the various issues posed by digital game-based learning, such as: lack of pedagogical integration; the lack of usable games, the shortfall in student cognitive skills and teacher expertise, and so on. Subsequently, it analyses the non-digital game-based learning approach with respect to these issues. This critical analysis and comparative study of these two methods is supported by the current research literature and evidence based on my deployment of a non-digital game-based learning approach in order to teach mathematics to B.Sc. first-year computer science students, at Aberystwyth University (UK). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning is usually assumed to be digital (or computer-mediated). However, there are many educational games available which do not require a computer host. Non-digital game-based learning has many advantages over digital game-based learning, including: cost effectiveness, low administrative overhead, it demands few prerequisite skills, and provides opportunities for enhanced social interaction. Consequently, it places much lighter burdens on teachers and learners in terms of resourcing, skills development and the like. However, non-digital games are unfashionable: they often considered inappropriate for higher educational teaching aids for adults, and they are perceived to be relatively unsophisticated. I started teaching mathematics to first year computer science undergraduate students three years ago at Aberystwyth University, in the UK. Because the cohort students lacked experience of formal instruction in mathematics at intermediate or higher levels, I investigated the possibility of employing non-digital game-based learning in higher education in order to instruct them. To this end, I adapted a small number of popular games to the teaching of selected mathematical principles. I devised six new games in all: arithmetic-fractions rummy, a decimal crossword puzzle, a logarithmic and exponential jigsaw, an algebraic equations bingo, a binary-to-decimal conversion magic box, and a decimalto- binary conversion magic box. The results suggested that non-digital game-based learning is both motivational and has a positive impact on learning outcomes. Furthermore, it is possible that the pedagogical usefulness of these games is not limited to mathematics; they might readily be adapted for the teaching of other subjects. Currently I am planning to enhance and expand this approach for further experimentation and use across the university and in other disciplines, however in this paper I will introduce non-digital game-based learning for mathematics teaching in higher education, and argue for its pedagogical effectiveness with evidence of improved learning outcomes and enhanced learner experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Minecraft as a tool for teaching has become increasingly popular recently. Game components can be linked together allowing their effect to be experimented with easily and thus offering great potential for investigating children's use of the tool in educational settings. The tool has been observed to attract children in their exploration of the game environments. The "creator" mode is most useful in developing ideas for game-play. However, to get the players to engage with more abstract learning concepts can be quite challenging. This is where the concept of developing "mods" becomes very valuable. Minecraft "mods" can be developed freely with a system development kit (SDK) that can be downloaded. The authors of Minecraft make the full source code available for download to enable off-line development and testing. It is thus possible to check the design fully before launch, including developing server based applications. This paper outlines the way in which we have been using a Minecraft mod to create a collaborative game for teaching maths to UK primary school children (age 7-9). Minecraft is very attractive for this design as a large proportion of children are familiar with the basic gameplay, the gameplay is attractive to both males and females and with the use of mods learning outcome specific tools can be created. The design practice has highlighted a number of issues that are of value when using Minecraft to teach any subject - specifically when trying to create mods. The solution is quite creative and uses game component development that is familiar to players of Minecraft. We have piloted the game with a number of children, without experience in using Minecraft as a game, as well as those with extensive experience. Both have enabled us to overcome pitfalls in our approach to designing the game that will give pointers to others wishing to make learning outcome specific mods. The game has been tested in a school situation on children of all levels with varying results. This has helped in refining the game and further longer term testing will take place with the target age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning mathematics, and mathematical problem solving in particular, is considered a challenge for some pupils  at primary schools. When solving mathematical problems several skills are needed and commonly some children face  difficulties in areas like memory, language and spatial aspects. This PhD research aims to investigate whether collaborative  computer games can support and motivate UK Key Stage 2 pupils in fostering better understanding of mathematical  problem solving. As part of achieving this overall aim, two initial studies are reported in this paper. The research described  here has taken a user‐centred design approach and has been two‐fold. Firstly, an initial study was conducted to gain an  understanding of the existing teaching environment, methods used and problem solving experiences of both children and  teachers in a Key Stage 2 teaching environment. The investigation involved observations of problem solving classes and  questionnaires which sought to explore mathematics problem solving difficulties and the role of collaborative games in the  actual  learning  environment.  The  findings  from  this  initial  study  indicate  that  games  and  collaborative  working  in  mathematics classes could be significant in supporting and enhancing Key Stage 2 pupils in their learning of mathematical  problem solving. Therefore it is suggested that collaborative mathematical games could be effective instructional tools for  enhancing learning and understanding of mathematics concepts, arithmetic and problem solving. The use of collaboration  within such a tool may promote the sharing and discussion of problems and so may be helpful for students who have  difficulty in mathematics. The second study aimed to investigate whether and how Key Stage 2 children engaged in a  commercially available collaborative problem solving computer game, LegoTM Harry Potter and to examine their levels of  collaboration  and  motivation  within  the  game.  The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  gather  requirements  for  a  future  collaborative computer game designed to teach mathematics problem solving.  A mixed‐methods approach of observation  and questionnaires has been used. Key Stage 2 pupils were observed during collaborative computer game play and an  analysis of their behaviour and interaction was conducted in order to identify the ways in which they collaborated and the  elements of the game which promoted motivation and collaboration. Questionnaires were used to investigate elements of  the game play which encouraged engagement and collaboration. The findings from the first study show that some, but not  all, children found mathematical problem solving challenging but that collaboration and game playing is used and enjoyed  during their classroom‐based learning of this. The second study showed that the collaborative computer game did engage  the players. Elements of role play, suspense and mystery encouraged motivation and collaboration but there were issues at  times with some players not knowing what to do in the game and at other times with providing enough challenge for two  collaborating players. Resulting requirements gathered from this include the necessity for clear rules and goals, a playful  environment with challenge, mystery and fantasy and a story line that flows through the game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics anxiety (MA) is a negative emotional response to the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems, potentially hindering learning and leading to poor maths skills. Digital game-based learning, in which games are used for education, has been recognised as a potential tool for reducing MA and positively influencing learning, information assimilation, and retention. Peer tutoring is an active learning method that reduces MA in addition to benefiting students academically. This study assessed how 'Seven Spells', a digital maths game developed by our team, affects students' levels of MA and mathematics performance. We hypothesized that this game could be used in classrooms to control MA and potentialise mathematics learning when combined with peer tutoring. 55 children from two 4th classes in an Irish primary school participated in this study. Over a period of three weeks (two days/week), the groups played the 'Seven Spells' game with and without peer tutoring. A mathematics knowledge test, including content covered by the game, was administered at the beginning and end of the study to assess the children's mathematics skills. Game scores were also analysed. At the end of the study, the children participated in an interview, answering questions about the game and the peer tutoring experience. The average game scores increased significantly for the entirety of the children, and also for both groups separately. MA only decreased significantly in the no-peer tutoring group, suggesting that the peer tutoring approach, which was expected to reduce MA, was not successful. No statistically significant differences were found between the peer tutoring and the no-peer tutoring groups in terms of game scores, mathematics errors and MA, further pointing out that the peer tutoring approach was not successful either in reducing MA or in stimulating mathematics learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning mathematics, and mathematical problem solving in particular, is considered a challenge for some pupils at primary schools. When solving mathematical problems several skills are needed and commonly some children face difficulties in areas like memory, language and spatial aspects. This PhD research aims to investigate whether collaborative computer games can support and motivate UK Key Stage 2 pupils in fostering better understanding of mathematical problem solving. As part of achieving this overall aim, two initial studies are reported in this paper. The research described here has taken a user-centred design approach and has been two-fold. Firstly, an initial study was conducted to gain an understanding of the existing teaching environment, methods used and problem solving experiences of both children and teachers in a Key Stage 2 teaching environment. The investigation involved observations of problem solving classes and questionnaires which sought to explore mathematics problem solving difficulties and the role of collaborative games in the actual learning environment. The findings from this initial study indicate that games and collaborative working in mathematics classes could be significant in supporting and enhancing Key Stage 2 pupils in their learning of mathematical problem solving. Therefore it is suggested that collaborative mathematical games could be effective instructional tools for enhancing learning and understanding of mathematics concepts, arithmetic and problem solving. The use of collaboration within such a tool may promote the sharing and discussion of problems and so may be helpful for students who have difficulty in mathematics. The second study aimed to investigate whether and how Key Stage 2 children engaged in a commercially available collaborative problem solving computer game, LegoTM Harry Potter and to examine their levels of collaboration and motivation within the game. The purpose of this study was to gather requirements for a future collaborative computer game designed to teach mathematics problem solving. A mixed-methods approach of observation and questionnaires has been used. Key Stage 2 pupils were observed during collaborative computer game play and an analysis of their behaviour and interaction was conducted in order to identify the ways in which they collaborated and the elements of the game which promoted motivation and collaboration. Questionnaires were used to investigate elements of the game play which encouraged engagement and collaboration. The findings from the first study show that some, but not all, children found mathematical problem solving challenging but that collaboration and game playing is used and enjoyed during their classroom-based learning of this. The second study showed that the collaborative computer game did engage the players. Elements of role play, suspense and mystery encouraged motivation and collaboration but there were issues at times with some players not knowing what to do in the game and at other times with providing enough challenge for two collaborating players. Resulting requirements gathered from this include the necessity for clear rules and goals, a playful environment with challenge, mystery and fantasy and a story line that flows through the game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a body of research has examined the impacts of game-based learning on individuals psychologically and socially, there is little/no research examining the relationship between mathematics, programming and games learning. The kind of learning we can identify when games are used for learning mathematics and programming. To address these gaps, data were collected from two undergraduate courses in a series of focus-group interviews. Results show how interviewees’ successes to learn and play ‘Acumenous Learning’ whilst they struggle to play & understand ‘Inquisitional Learning’. However, evidence suggests that a change in maths educational games alone will not increase learning. A change in the way mathematics is integrated in the curriculum should be re-examined and not left unnoticed. This study proposes a new theoretical lens within games learning, ‘Acumenous’ and ‘Inquisitional’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews regarding serious games show that the effect on learning can be qualified as moderately positive. Despite the active involvement of players it seems that they sometimes refrain from relevant cognitive processes during game play. This study addresses a technique involving the generation of manageable cognitive conflicts to stimulate these cognitive processes. Surprise comprises events that undermine an expectation which trigger players to evaluate the new situation more extensively. Participants (N = 94) played a game in which they practiced proportional reasoning skills. The pretestposttest design involved two factors: Surprise (surprise vs. no surprise) and Expectancy (strong vs. weak). Surprise was implemented as an appearing game character that modified some parameters of a problem while the player was solving that problem. We expected that this would prompt players to evaluate their solution strategy and decide whether another strategy was more appropriate. Expectancy pertains to the type of problems that players expect. In the strong expectancy version players received a series of problems with the same structure as before. In the weak expectancy version problems with different structures are randomly presented to the players and each problem may involve a different solution strategy. We hypothesized an interaction between Surprise and Expectancy, next to a main effect of Surprise. The results show that participants learned from the game. We also did find a weak positive effect of Surprise, but no effect of Expectancy nor interaction effect on learning. The facilitating effect of Surprise was stronger when existing proportional reasoning skill was included as factor. These results indicate that surprise as implemented in the game has effect on learning regardless whether expectancy was weak or strong. We discuss some suggestions for finding stronger effects of surprise such as the fact that the repetitive nature may have weakened the 'surprisingness' of the surprises and the observation that our sample may not have possessed a sufficient level of metacognitive skills to interpret the changes caused by the surprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-Learning Sudan (ELS) is a custom-built computer game that provides alternative learning opportunities to Sudanese children who are excluded from education. Unique in ELS is that children can learn mathematics, in their own remote village, without a teacher. This research study assessed the effectiveness of ELS through a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design. Participants consisted of 67 children in three remote villages, aged between 7-11, that had never been to school before. The control group consisted of 19 children in a fourth remote village. The experimental group used the game for a period of six weeks, five days a week, 45 minutes a day. The results of the analysis on the pretest- posttest data revealed that ELS increased mathematics knowledge acquisition in numeracy and adding significantly and maintained student motivation to learn. The findings suggest that the implementation of ELS can greatly benefit learning for out-of-school children like in Sudan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a one-to-one computing initiative in the Czech Republic in which netbooks were implemented in the teaching of mathematics in three primary schools. The teachers got didactic support from the publishing house which publishes e-textbooks but otherwise were expected to use their professional knowledge for the implementation of netbooks. The research questions were: How and for what purposes do mathematics teachers at the three schools use interactive whiteboards and netbooks? What didactic practices do they employ with these ICT tools? What are the pupils' and teachers' perceptions of netbooks? The methodology consists of video-recordings of lessons taught by the three teachers, of Diaries in which the teachers recorded the use of ICT in lessons, of semi-structured interviews with pupils and teachers and observations of lessons. The recordings of lessons were analysed qualitatively for the use of netbooks and an interactive whiteboard, mainly for the specific purposes and ways of implementation. The data from the Diaries were elaborated in a statistical way. The pupils' and teachers' interviews were scanned for repeating themes. The results consist of the description and comparison of the use of netbooks and an interactive whiteboard by three mathematics teachers in terms of time ranges, purposes and material used. The detailed analysis of episodes with these ICT tools identified in the lessons showed that the interactive potential of both tools was not fully used. The interactive whiteboard was often used by the teachers only, and/or as a substitute for a usual whiteboard and netbooks were utilised for activities easily accomplished without them (such as reading a text). Mostly revision and practice tasks the same as in non-ICT teaching were used. On the other hand, several episodes which include interactive tasks and which enhance pupils' understanding in mathematics were distinguished, which can be used in teacher training and show a way to improving the situation. Our study confirms the results of similar research in that a) pupils enjoy working with ICT tools and feel motivated for the subject, b) teachers perceive their teaching as more effective, c) the use of ICT does not necessarily change a teaching style, d) mostly individual work is encouraged as opposed to pair or group work, e) teachers need support. We conclude with stressing that it is necessary to triangulate results from several sources of data as each has its limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]