%0 Journal Article %1 citeulike:383767 %A Hancock, Chris %A Osterweil, Scot %D 1996 %E Kapisovsky, Peggy M. %E Mayer, Kenneth %J Hands on! %K learning games mathematics mathgamespatterns gmx computers design %T Zoombinis and the Art of Mathematical Play %V Spring %X Play is nature's greatest educational device. During play, children routinely exhibit the inventiveness, experimentation, and enjoyment of thinking that sometimes seem so sorely lacking in schools. For mathematical play, computers are an especially appropriate medium because they allow players to project themselves imaginatively into worlds that embody powerful mathematical ideas. The great promise of computer games is that they might harness the power of play and computers to help more children learn more math. Despite this promise, most of today's computer math games perpetuate an impoverished view of mathematics and of learning. Many games are essentially drill-and-practice programs that focus on a narrow set of skills and rely on arcade-style effects, hand-eye coordination, and time pressure for entertainment value. They treat the playful elements as something distinct from the mathematics, which too often is portrayed with little imagination or enthusiasm. Still, while good math games may not be common, we are confident that they are possible. In working with Brøderbund Software to design the newly released game Logical Journey of the Zoombinis, we have gained a clearer sense of what it takes to make a good math game. Logical Journey of the Zoombinis grew out of several years' work at TERC researching and developing computer-based tools that support the trend toward increased emphasis on data, graphing, and statistics in classrooms. In the course of designing and testing these tools, we uncovered a rich network of mathematical ideas with which children work to understand data and representations of data. This "mathematics of data" begins with sorting and classifying activities common in primary grades and grows to include attributes, logic, combinations, arrangements, and graphing, with connections to algebra and functions as well. We experimented with a variety of visual approaches that might help to make these topics accessible, interesting, and fun: this led us to the Zoombinis.

@article{citeulike:383767, abstract = {Play is nature's greatest educational device. During play, children routinely exhibit the inventiveness, experimentation, and enjoyment of thinking that sometimes seem so sorely lacking in schools. For mathematical play, computers are an especially appropriate medium because they allow players to project themselves imaginatively into worlds that embody powerful mathematical ideas. The great promise of computer games is that they might harness the power of play and computers to help more children learn more math. Despite this promise, most of today's computer math games perpetuate an impoverished view of mathematics and of learning. Many games are essentially drill-and-practice programs that focus on a narrow set of skills and rely on arcade-style effects, hand-eye coordination, and time pressure for entertainment value. They treat the playful elements as something distinct from the mathematics, which too often is portrayed with little imagination or enthusiasm. Still, while good math games may not be common, we are confident that they are possible. In working with Brøderbund Software to design the newly released game Logical Journey of the Zoombinis, we have gained a clearer sense of what it takes to make a good math game. Logical Journey of the Zoombinis grew out of several years' work at TERC researching and developing computer-based tools that support the trend toward increased emphasis on data, graphing, and statistics in classrooms. In the course of designing and testing these tools, we uncovered a rich network of mathematical ideas with which children work to understand data and representations of data. This "mathematics of data" begins with sorting and classifying activities common in primary grades and grows to include attributes, logic, combinations, arrangements, and graphing, with connections to algebra and functions as well. We experimented with a variety of visual approaches that might help to make these topics accessible, interesting, and fun: this led us to the Zoombinis.}, added-at = {2006-06-05T02:47:21.000+0200}, author = {Hancock, Chris and Osterweil, Scot}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2270f8a61d15d91a492f46964eb71d8fc/yish}, citeulike-article-id = {383767}, editor = {Kapisovsky, Peggy M. and Mayer, Kenneth}, interhash = {3b77cb68d1f728cc2ea6f5e7e3b130e7}, intrahash = {270f8a61d15d91a492f46964eb71d8fc}, journal = {Hands on!}, keywords = {learning games mathematics mathgamespatterns gmx computers design}, priority = {0}, timestamp = {2006-06-05T02:47:21.000+0200}, title = {Zoombinis and the Art of Mathematical Play}, volume = {Spring}, year = 1996 }