It looks like a pretty fun game. Way more interesting than a million worksheets. The only question I would have would be to ensure that the skills are transferable. We'd have to make sure in our classroom examples that we link the multiplication facts being learned in this game to how we actually use multiplication in the real world.
My kids have loved this, and seem to gain facility with the facts for a speed response. The best aspect is employment, that kids are using them to do something they care about.
The best math game ever is for multiplication, too: http://illuminations.nctm.org/tools/product/index.html
My 26 year old son probably would have benefitted from this. Now, as an adult, he is "ashamed" of his lack of mastery of the timestables despite hours spent trying to help him learn them many years ago as I learned them--pure repetition. I didn't realize that he didn't know certain of these 6X 8X 12X now until he recently told me. I'm not a gamer, and it doesn't appeal to me. However, it is the children who will vote/show the results I guess.
I'm afraid this game just looks to me like flash cards, albeit nicely coloured in flashcards presented to a fun sound track. I looked at it a while ago and decided that it really didn't add anything to my maths classroom other than trying to sugar coat a skill and completely remove it from any real life situation. But that is just my opinion!
Gill, I think you are on to something. When I first came across this game, my thoughts echoed yours. "How is this game any different than flash cards?"
Honestly, I am very critical of this kind of math game - it is more about the kids eliciting a behavior than constructing meaning.
"Is this a game we should use to teach children math?" No. There is no 'teaching' involved here. Practice maybe, but teaching? At the end, the trailer says "...learn those facts" erm, why? Maybe the Dept of Ed says it's important and if you don't learn those facts... To me it seems like 3D Mad Math minutes, get the answer right or the monster (=mathematics, actually arithmetic to be absolutely correct) will kill you. Not good.
It looks like a pretty fun game. Way more interesting than a million worksheets. The only question I would have would be to ensure that the skills are transferable. We'd have to make sure in our classroom examples that we link the multiplication facts being learned in this game to how we actually use multiplication in the real world.
ReplyDeleteMy kids have loved this, and seem to gain facility with the facts for a speed response. The best aspect is employment, that kids are using them to do something they care about.
ReplyDeleteThe best math game ever is for multiplication, too:
http://illuminations.nctm.org/tools/product/index.html
My 26 year old son probably would have benefitted from this. Now, as an adult, he is "ashamed" of his lack of mastery of the timestables despite hours spent trying to help him learn them many years ago as I learned them--pure repetition. I didn't realize that he didn't know certain of these 6X 8X 12X now until he recently told me. I'm not a gamer, and it doesn't appeal to me. However, it is the children who will vote/show the results I guess.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid this game just looks to me like flash cards, albeit nicely coloured in flashcards presented to a fun sound track. I looked at it a while ago and decided that it really didn't add anything to my maths classroom other than trying to sugar coat a skill and completely remove it from any real life situation. But that is just my opinion!
ReplyDeleteGill, I think you are on to something. When I first came across this game, my thoughts echoed yours. "How is this game any different than flash cards?"
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am very critical of this kind of math game - it is more about the kids eliciting a behavior than constructing meaning.
"Is this a game we should use to teach children math?" No. There is no 'teaching' involved here. Practice maybe, but teaching? At the end, the trailer says "...learn those facts" erm, why? Maybe the Dept of Ed says it's important and if you don't learn those facts...
ReplyDeleteTo me it seems like 3D Mad Math minutes, get the answer right or the monster (=mathematics, actually arithmetic to be absolutely correct) will kill you.
Not good.