%0 Conference Paper %1 citeulike:383707 %A Sedighian, K. %A Sedighian, A. S. %B 18th Annual Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education -- the North American Chapter, Florida, USA %D 1996 %K learning games mathematics mathgamespatterns gmx computers design motivation %T Can Educational Computer Games Help Educators Learn About the Psychology of Learning Mathematics in Children? %U http://www.cs.ubc.ca/nest/egems/reports/kamran3.doc %X Many children do not like mathematics and find it boring. In this paper we present some of our observations and findings on children’s psychology of learning mathematics in the context of computer-based mathematical game environments. Our findings point to some elements of computer games that satisfy children’s learning needs and motivate them to learn mathematics. In this paper we list eight such elements that, we believe, play an important and synergistic role in children’s learning. We feel that these games can help educators learn more about the needs of children when learning mathematics in general.

@inproceedings{citeulike:383707, abstract = {Many children do not like mathematics and find it boring. In this paper we present some of our observations and findings on children’s psychology of learning mathematics in the context of computer-based mathematical game environments. Our findings point to some elements of computer games that satisfy children’s learning needs and motivate them to learn mathematics. In this paper we list eight such elements that, we believe, play an important and synergistic role in children’s learning. We feel that these games can help educators learn more about the needs of children when learning mathematics in general.}, added-at = {2006-06-05T02:47:21.000+0200}, author = {Sedighian, K. and Sedighian, A. S.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2a08a63e089ee8a33d1f6b4cc2af29375/yish}, booktitle = {18th Annual Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education -- the North American Chapter, Florida, USA}, citeulike-article-id = {383707}, comment = {"First, a number of prototype and commercial educational games were installed in the class. Kamran Sedighian visited the class weekly, from 1 to 2 hours, for over a year to observe the students playing the games, conduct informal class discussions, and audio-tape one-on-one interviews with the children. He also asked the students to keep journals of their computer activities, Second, we designed Super Tangrams (ST) -- a very formal mathematical computer game aimed at helping grade 6 students learn 2-dimensional transformation geometry. ST is considered by some mathematics educators as too challenging for this age range. The game involves the traditional tangram activity in which 7 geometric shapes must be moved to fit together in an outline by using slides, turns and flips. It consists of a series of puzzles which progressively become more difficult. The design choices we made in developing ST were informed by the children’s expectations of a fun and engaging learning environment. Third, we installed ST in the class and visited the class weekly for almost 6 months to observe the students playing ST. In addition, we selected 4 students, considered by their teacher as weak achievers in mathematics, and videotaped several sessions of them playing the game with adult mediation. After approximately 3 months of playing ST on a weekly basis, we conducted and videotaped clinical interviews of 10 grade 6 students in order to qualitatively assess their understanding of the concepts of slide, turn and flip. Finally, a month after these interviews, all students had to write a ‘surprise’ test on concepts in transformation geometry."}, interhash = {f8a28726788e9ba402f3b243e7beced9}, intrahash = {a08a63e089ee8a33d1f6b4cc2af29375}, keywords = {learning games mathematics mathgamespatterns gmx computers design motivation}, priority = {0}, timestamp = {2006-06-05T02:47:21.000+0200}, title = {Can Educational Computer Games Help Educators Learn About the Psychology of Learning Mathematics in Children?}, url = {http://www.cs.ubc.ca/nest/egems/reports/kamran3.doc}, year = 1996 }