Mathematical Literacy for Everyone using Arithmetic Games

Lena Pareto, University West Sweden

Overall project

Idea: Talking and Seeing math in games

Mathematics game environmentBasic math, no numbers and symbols

Learning goals:Conceptual understandingReasoning skillsStrategic thinking

Previous study500 students grade 1-8

Previous results:Gain math performanceGain self-efficacyLow-achieving gain most

Now800 students grade 1-6special education

The game

446

3 different platforms:Graphical math:

2 player collaborative orcompetitive game

Focus in this paper

New student group with Intellectual disabilities

Special educationTraining school curriculumModerate or severe intellectual disabilityoften limited communication skills

Test of new Augmented reality version of game

Collaboration with local science centrePorted one collaboration game, number range 1-10Play game by building with physical cubes

Collected data

Performance data from game logsTeacher interviews

Resultsperformance level from game log

Grey bars = average mainstream students

Red bars = special education student 1-4

Yellow bars = special education students 6-8

Performance as average mainstream students, or betterStudent 1 and 3 played the 2 difficult games also well

Resultsprogression over time strategic games

Grey lines = average progression mainstream studentsRed lines = special education students 1-4Blue line = student with Aspberger syndrome

starts lower, more progression. Student 3 started lowest, ended excellent game play

Results – teacher interviews

Situation in the beginningNo students liked the game the in beginningStudent 2 and 4 did not understand addition at

allStudent 4 had to point-count numbers small as

3Student 4 used only one-word sentencesCould not collaborate at all, refused to look at

each other or at the game board, just guessedStudent 5 (Asperger) refused to communicate

with anyone 3 years ago

Results:teacher citations of students’

progressions“Student 4 is the one who gained most in communication skills, the improvement is just amazing. Today, he can stand in front of the white board and reason about the solution: You can take 7, and I will take 2”. “The game is the reason [student 4] is able to do math, and has gained self-confidence. [Student 2] now knows the numbers up to 10, and has also gained self-confidence, which in turn gives some self-respect. Hence they talk since they are worth listening to.

Results:teacher about self-confidence

“I [the teacher] think that these students’ low abilities is about having failed so many times so there is no self-confidence left at all. Grouping such students together is not good; there is normally no growth in such a group. Playing this game is an exception when growth actually occurs.”

Conclusion

Good pedagogues can use this game to help students with intellectual disabilities to

Gain self-confidence (no failure paradigm)Learn number sense and basic mathImprove communication and collaboration

skillsPractice reasoning skills

And can perform at similar levels as mainstream students given enough time

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?