Maths in games

Christian Bokhove, Southampton

Disclaimer: I’ve tried to make sure all the content is referenced and accounted for. If you feel there is content that should not be there pleas elet me know.

“Action video games, via processes that have been explained by the action of neural modulators on brain plasticity [21,22], have also been shown to improve mental rotation skills [23,24].”

http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/uploads/pdf/NSED_LitReview_Final.pdf

Research into games

Limited

We demonstrate a previously unknown gender difference in the distribution of spatial attention, a basic capacity that supports higher-level spatial cognition. More remarkably, we found that playing an action video game can virtually eliminate this gender difference in spatial attention and simultaneously decrease the gender disparity in mental rotation ability, a higher-level process in spatial cognition. After only 10 hr of training with an action video game, subjects realized substantial gains in both spatial attention and mental rotation, with women benefiting more than men. Control subjects who played a non-action game showed no improvement. Given that superior spatial skills are important in the mathematical and engineering sciences, these findings have practical implications for attracting men and women to these fields.

Feng, J., Spence, I. & Pratt, J. (2007). Playing an action video game reduces gender differences in spatial cognition. Psychological Science, 18, 850-855.

2004

2004

Characteristics of games

• Gee• Devlin

• Not a complete history of games but selection of my personal history

Started with…

http://dosdose.com/

http://dosdose.com/

Topography

• With a Commodore 64, MSX• Radarsoft

http://feeny.nl/topografie-oefenen-met-apps-op-iphone-ipad-of-android/

1991

• Several online versions

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/34142-gorillas-inspired-by-the-original-qbasic-game/

http://www.geogebratube.org/student/m8273

Pirates of the Kinematics Island

http://childrenofthenineties.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/dont-tell-them-its-educational.html

1983-now

http://www.mathblaster.com/

Innertubegames: app for iPad uit called Wuzzit Trouble (http://innertubegames.net/). Game addresses, without you knowing it, Diophantine equations.

Devlin, Keith. (2011). Mathematics Education for a New Era: Video Games as a Medium for Learning.

Wuzzit Trouble

Devlin states (my own words):

1. Start up a discussion in maths education how we could tap into the affordances of games.

2. Convince the reader that well designed games might play a role in future maths education..

But... As active gamer I also see how games are increasingly influential in the world. It would be great if maths education could tap into a fraction of the motivation, resources and concentration involved. However, this requires careful and rigorous research, not just dogmatic adoption of fads.

Blocks

Game of Blocks

A weak example

Computer in minecraft

AC4 Black Flag

I play this…prime numbers!