Computer games as a teaching strategy - IEEE Xplore

Computer Games as a Teaching Strategy Jorge Zavaleta Programa de Informática / UFRJ [email protected]

Macário Costa Programa de Informática / UFRJ [email protected]

Abstract The computer gaming technology presents itself as an important supporting strategy to new forms of teaching and learning, and can be applied in the various areas of knowledge, particularly in teaching Mathematics. This study will present the results obtained regarding the research about using the computer game NumerAmigos® in the teaching/learning of elementary algebra when transitioning from the arithmetic reasoning to the algebraic reasoning.

1. Introduction The evolving technology is contributing to a change in educational technology. Computer gaming technology has presented itself as an important educational support strategy, capable of supporting the teaching and learning process, contributing to the changes in traditional teaching pedagogy to more constructive and dynamic criteria. The use of computer games in the classroom is an innovative idea; where the characteristics of the teaching/learning processes supported by computers and the strategies within the games are integrated with the goal of reaching a predetermined educational objective and. promote interest and motivation of the students. This paper presents a case study applied to the computer game NumerAmigos® in teaching elementary algebra, from a cognitive perspective when transitioning from the arithmetic reasoning to the algebraic reasoning.

2. The game as a teaching strategy The idea of developing simulation environments for teaching and learning is very old. The teaching was

Maria T. Gouvêa Programa de Informática / UFRJ [email protected]

Cabral Lima Programa de Informática / UFRJ [email protected]

fundamentally thought of in terms of transfer of information. The process of teaching seen before as a function of injecting the transfer of knowledge currently requires the development of well thought of strategies that support the construction of knowledge, seen as a complex vectorial space, in which the elements of these spaces are associated to multiple bijective functions, allowing the exchange and the dynamic inference of values and knowledge. These functions should frequently possess behaviors that involve competition, collaboration, analysis and synthesis, targeting better learning indices among the elements and consequently construct new knowledge in this space [3]. The cognitive development can be characterized as sequential acquisition strategies of increasing efficiency for the resolution of problems. In this context, the information processing approach does not deny the theory of Piaget, but it identifies other relevant aspects that provide a broad view of the cognitive development [6]. The information processing approach has as goal to arrive at a model of cognitive processing in real time that is precisely specified, clear and detailed so that it can be designed as a computer program. The model also must be capable of making specific forecasts as the child and the computer would behave under of specific limitations of a given task, and in reply the specific stimulus. The game can be considered as an important educational strategy that allows the cognitive emotional, linguistic, social, moral and motor development, as well as make each player more autonomous, critic, creative responsible and cooperative. For the educational game to be useful it must be interesting and challenging for the students, allowing self-evaluation of the individual and group performance [2] [3]. The activities with computer games allow the teacher to identify and diagnose some of the student’s

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learning errors, attitudes and disabilities, as well as discipline, socialize, build moral values, improve common sense and stimulate the creation of teamwork. The player learns that it is important to know how to win and lose. In general, the games are not universally well designed and subject to generic software problems, from a confusing interface, to a insufficient model for the user and illogical rules or restrictions within the game. Motivation can be a positive force, however, the games that generate too much interest can addict the player and not benefit them [1].

3. Criteria to choose the game The choice of adequate software is directly related to more congruent instructional purposes, criteria or types of activities involved in the game. The criteria for choice could be: 1) the game should be relatively simple to play; 2) it can be adapted and re-programmed without additional cost; 3) have some identifiable potential to be used for educational purposes; 4) be different from other games in it’s category [4]. Complying to educational objectives, within the educational software researched, the computer game NumerAmigos® from the SuperGênios collection was chosen for the purpose of this work because it had a clear environment and the contents needed for learning the basic arithmetic and algebraic operations, as well as possess a friendly interface which can be easily used.

4. Case study The game in mathematical education starts having a pedagogical material character when considered a learning promoter. The child, confronted with clear situations, grasps the logical structure of the game and, in this manner, also grasps the present mathematical structure. In this context, the game applied to the Mathematical Education, is justified to introduce the mathematical language, in such a manner that it formal concepts are indirectly assimilated by the child. One problem identified in our study, is the difficulty the students found in the transition of the arithmetic thought process to the algebraic. It was confirmed that the computational technology capable of adding cognitive gains to teaching and learning processes exists [7]. Within the new technologies the computer educational game stands out particularly in the elementary algebra study from a cognitive perspective

in transitioning from a concrete to an abstract thought process, present in children aged around 7 and 8 years old, based on the theoretical approach of Piaget and the information processing [6].

4.1 Methodology For this study, students between the second and third grade, aged between 7 ad 10 years, from a private primary school in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro were approached. They were divided in two groups: control (x) and experimental (y). One group from the second grade (y2) with 27 students, one from the third grade (x3) with 40 students, one from the second grade (x2) with 30 students and another from the third grade (y3) with 31 students, totaling 128 students. For both groups the following instruments were used: 1) A questionnaire with closed questions for the students, in an organized and systematic form; 2) a questionnaire for the teachers; 3) a group of tests used for pre-testing and after-testing [8]; 4) an experiment using the game NumerAmigos® only with the experimental group (y), aiming at developing two mathematical abilities: the domain of the basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; and the domain of the analytical process of interpreting, structuring and solving declared problems. [5][7]

4.2 Analysis and discussion of the results The analysis of the results of this study contemplates a total of 93 students. Only the students that participated in all phases of the study were considered. In the experimental group y2, the algebra after-test surpassed the pre-test by 30%. In the control group x2, the algebra after-test surpassed the after-test by 6%. In the experimental group y3, the algebra after-test surpassed the pre-test by 17%. In the control group x3 the pre-test surpassed the after-test by 15% (see Figure 1). Overall, the experimental group presented a greater incidence of correct answers in the after-test relative to the pre-test. It can be noticed that the algebra test of the y2 group (experimental) surpassed the x2 (control) by 32% and the group y3 (experimental) surpassed group x3 (control) by 23%. In the experimental group y2 the arithmetic aftertest surpassed the pre-test by 15%. In the control group x2 the after-test surpassed the pre-test by 22%. In the experimental group y3 the after-test surpassed the pre-


test by 9%. In the control group x3 the after-test surpassed the pre-test by 14% (see Figure 2). Overall the experimental group showed a greater incidence of correct answers in the after-test relative to the pre-test. It can be noticed that the arithmetic group y2 (experimental) surpassed the group x2 (control) by 16% and that group y3 (experimental) surpassed group x3 (control) by 23%.

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Figure 1. Algebra Test

technology applied to education has the potential to develop general cognitive skills in many curricular areas. Thus, this technology presents itself as an important support strategy to the new forms of teaching and learning. The educational game by computer applied in the mathematical context is justified by the fact of introducing the mathematical language in such a way that it’s formal concepts can be assimilated indirectly by the child through having fun. Based on the obtained results, we consider it pertinent the inclusion of computer games in the daily school operation, aimed at helping students and teachers in the learning and teaching process, and in particular in the teaching of mathematics. In summary, the results point to a better performance by the experimental groups (y2 e y3) relative to the control groups (x2 e x3) in terms of using the computer educational game for teaching elementary algebra.

6. References

We highlight the pertinence of the inclusion of computational technology in the everyday activities of the school so as to help students and teachers in the learning/teaching process, in particular in the teaching of mathematics. 25

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[1] Becta, “Computer Games in Education Project”, online http://www.becta.org.uk/. Access in 12/19/2004. [2] C.E. Bongiolo, E.R. Braga, and M.S. Silveira, “Subindo e Escorregando: Um jogo para introdução do conceito de adição de números inteiros”, IV Congresso RIBIE, Brasília, 1998.

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[3] A.J.O Cruz, P. Demasi, and C. Lima, “Jogos educativos inteligentes: Ferramentas de suporte”, Mini-cursos do XIV SBIE – Simpósio Brasileiro de Informática na Educação. UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 2003, pp. 93-126.

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Figure 2. Arithmetic Test The results obtained in this study point to an expressive yield of the groups y2 and y3 of the experiment relative to the x2 and x3 control groups with the use of computer educational games in the teaching of elementary algebra.

5. Conclusions The relevance of computers is highlighted by the capacity of control; the ability to present, receive process and manage information, attributed to these, which are similar to the representations and processes involved the human learning process. Computer

[4] J.V. Dempsey, L.L. Haynes, B.A. Lucassen, and M.S. Casey, “Forty simple computer games and what they could mean to educators”, Simulations & Gaming, Vol. 33 No. 2, June 2002, pp. 157-168. [5] Divertire (The Learning Company). SuperGênios NumerAmigos, versão escolar. São Paulo, 1998. [6] Flavell, J.H, “Desenvolvimento Cognitivo”, Porto Alegre: Editora Artes Médicas Sul Ltda, 1999. [7] R.J. Macário Costa, “Jogar e aprender: a informática no ensino da álgebra elementar”, Dissertação de mestrado em informática, UFRJ/IM/NCE, RJ, 2004, pp. 71. [8] Manual de Psicologia Aplicada, WISC – escala de inteligência Wechsler para crianças. Tradução e Introdução de Ana Maria Poppovic, RJ, 1964.
