CAN EDUCATIONAL COMPUTER GAMES HELP EDUCATORS LEARN ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING MATHEMATICS IN CHILDREN?

Hi readers!

We agree that educational computer games can help greatly in assisting educators to know more about the psychology of learning Mathematics in children.

Based on the article, we deem that they are abundant advantages of using computer games in learning Mathematics. We believe that games play a fundamental role in children’s daily lives. The authors of this article have done researches and observation on the use of games in primary children and we deem that the findings have really enlightened us and brought us to ponder upon the advantages of using GAMES in the Mathematics classroom.

We believe that games can help greatly in stimulating and motivating pupils to learn Mathematics. Motivation play an integral part in children’s learning. Pupils like game, therefore, when they are allowed to learn through hands on activities and games, it will indirectly drive them to learn. Besides that, many games are designed to cater to the needs of the learners, they are colourful, illustrative, challenging and often come with catchy music. Therefore, children will definitely find this learning atmosphere enjoyable and pleasant.

Besides that, we also agree with the findings which stated that games present a sense of success and accomplishment. This even works for slow-paced students. Computer games often come with different levels, therefore, with that, pupils can select the level of the games based on their ability.

The advantages of using games in a mathematical programme have been summarised in an article by Davies (1995) who researched the literature available at the time.

• Meaningful situations – for the application of mathematical skills are created by games
• Motivation – children freely choose to participate and enjoy playing
• Positive attitude – Games provide opportunities for building self-concept and developing positive attitudes towards mathematics, through reducing the fear of failure and error;
• Increased learning – in comparison to more formal activities, greater learning can occur through games due to the increased interaction between children, opportunities to test intuitive ideas and problem solving strategies
• Different levels – Games can allow children to operate at different levels of thinking and to learn from each other. In a group of children playing a game, one child might be encountering a concept for the first time, another may be developing his/her understanding of the concept, a third consolidating previously learned concepts
• Assessment – children’s thinking often becomes apparent through the actions and decisions they make during a game, so the teacher has the opportunity to carry out diagnosis and assessment of learning in a non-threatening situation
• Home and school – Games provide ‘hands-on’ interactive tasks for both school and home
• Independence – Children can work independently of the teacher. The rules of the game and the children’s motivation usually keep them on task.
• Few language barriers - an additional benefit becomes evident when children from non-english-speaking backgrounds are involved. The basic structures of some games are common to many cultures, and the procedures of simple games can be quickly learned through observation. Children who are reluctant to participate in other mathematical activities because of language barriers will often join in a game, and so gain access to the mathematical learning as well as engage in structured social interaction.

These tips come from Alridge & Badham (1993):

• Make sure the game matches the mathematical objective
• Use games for specific purposes, not just time-fillers
• Keep the number of players from two to four, so that turns come around quickly
• The game should have enough of an element of chance so that it allows weaker students to feel that they a chance of winning
• Keep the game completion time short
• Use five or six ‘basic’ game structures so the children become familiar with the rules – vary the mathematics rather than the rules
• Send an established game home with a child for homework
• Invite children to create their own board games or variations of known games.

So, we greatly believe that computer games can really help in the pupils learning in mathematics!

(Maths and Fun!)