Math Man: An Educational Game for Learning Mixed Operations

1. Background Information

Math Man is a series of browser-based mathematics games developed by Sheppard Software, a company which aims at making learning fun. Each single game in the series serves a specific learning purpose, for example, Math Man Addition trains learners on how to do addition with numbers below 100, Math Man Round Numbers to A Thousand trains learners on how to round numbers (see Ref. x). Today, we are looking at Math Man Mixed Operations.

Fig. 1 The Landing Page

2. Learning Objectives

This game is aimed for primary school students. As we know, all the educational games have to be built on prior knowledge. The game requires prior content knowledge from students to know integers and basic operators. Prior procedural knowledge includes knowing how to operate with the four basic operators and of course, how to use the mouse correctly.

The learning objective is that students perform basic arithmetic calculation correctly within certain time limits. As the numbers are moving quite spontaneously, students will have to pick the right number quickly and avoid bumping into the wrong ones. The strategy that the game developer uses is to create those randomly moving numbers that could potentially bump into each other to increase the nervousness of the game.

3. Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics

Fig. 2 Level 1

Mechanics:

The layout of the game is a maze. Besides this, it consists of 3 elements: yellow balls paved on the way, red stars and moving numbers. A user has to control itself through the way to eat the correct moving elements. The red stars could frozen the moving numbers for a while.

Dynamics:

As the user controls itself through the way of the maze, it eats the yellow balls paved on the way. Interestingly enough, eating yellow balls doesn’t add points. It’s only when the player eats the correct moving numbers that the score will be added. I think the this design is in line with the game’s educational purpose, that is, this game aims to increase players’ performance on arithmetic calculation. The feedback mechanism should be designed to serve this purpose accordingly.

Aesthetics:

The game involves multiple principles of aesthetics including challenge, sensation and discovery. The colors green, pink, yellow and red are all bright colors which could bring sensational pleasure to children. The moving numbers add a sense of challenge to the game, making it “losable” so that players could feel constantly being challenged.

Fig. 3 Level 4 Failed to escape

4. Learning Principles

1)Scaffolding

As we could see, the game consists of multiple difficulty levels. Only after the player has succeeded in a level can he be directed to a higher level. In higher levels, the distracting features and moving numbers both increase, making the game more difficult to play.

2)Immediate Feedback

Immediate feedback has been proved to be useful to learning. When playing the game, if you make a wrong calculation, like “4+29 = 1” , you will lose one life. Players in the world all have loss aversion. Therefore, they will have to try to stay alert and do the arithmetic calculation really carefully.

Fig. 4 Immediate Feedback for Mistakes

3)Anchoring learning

Anchoring learning means learning in an authentic task environment. The playground makes people think of growth, energy. Students are practicing mixed operation arithmetic in the setting of a game, which is anchored in real context.

5. Synthesis and Critique

The EDGE framework for analysis and design of educational games suggests that a game should be analyzed from three categories, MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics), educational objectives as well as instructional design principles. Those three elements should be well-aligned when designing an Ed-game. First and foremost, we need educational objectives to guide us in setting the goal and scope of a game, our instructional design should be aligned with the goals (e.g. if the goal is to teach a skill, the game should not be focusing on testing rote memory). Instructional design should also bear in mind various e-learning design principles. Finally, as for the game itself, it should have a mechanism that is playable and could bring happiness to players.

Fig. 5 EDGE Framework of Designing Educational Games

I think this game is a nice synthesis of all these categories above. It considers learner in context when designing the environment of the game, making the color and setting bright as well as engaging. It also bears in mind the mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics (MDA) of games. Overall it’s a recommended nice tool for teaching arithmetics to children.

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