DiffGame: Game-based mathematics learning for physics

TY - JOUR

T1 - DiffGame

T2 - Game-based mathematics learning for physics

AU - Pedersen, Mads Kock

AU - Svenningsen, Anette

AU - Dohn, Niels Bonderup

AU - Lieberoth, Andreas

AU - Sherson, Jacob

N1 - 7 pages, 2 figures

PY - 2016/7/20

Y1 - 2016/7/20

N2 - Differentiation is a mathematical skill applied throughout science in order to describe the change of a function with respect to a dependent variable. Thus, an intuitive understanding of differentiation is necessary to work with the mathematical frameworks used to describe physical systems in the higher levels of education. In order to obtain this intuition repeated practice is required. This paper presents the development of DiffGame, which consists of a series of exercises that introduce the basic principles of differentiation for high-school students through game-like elements. DiffGame have been tested with 117 first-year students from a single Danish high school, who did not have any prior training in differentiation. The students’ learning was assessed by the data obtained directly from DiffGame. The test demonstrated the efficacy of DiffGame, since students at all levels demonstrate a learning gain. In contrast to previous studies demonstrating most learning in the lower tier of students, the middle tier of students (based on overall performance) exhibits the largest learning gains.

AB - Differentiation is a mathematical skill applied throughout science in order to describe the change of a function with respect to a dependent variable. Thus, an intuitive understanding of differentiation is necessary to work with the mathematical frameworks used to describe physical systems in the higher levels of education. In order to obtain this intuition repeated practice is required. This paper presents the development of DiffGame, which consists of a series of exercises that introduce the basic principles of differentiation for high-school students through game-like elements. DiffGame have been tested with 117 first-year students from a single Danish high school, who did not have any prior training in differentiation. The students’ learning was assessed by the data obtained directly from DiffGame. The test demonstrated the efficacy of DiffGame, since students at all levels demonstrate a learning gain. In contrast to previous studies demonstrating most learning in the lower tier of students, the middle tier of students (based on overall performance) exhibits the largest learning gains.

KW - physics.ed-ph

U2 - 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.047

DO - 10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.047

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1877-0428

VL - 228

SP - 316

EP - 322

JO - Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

JF - Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

ER -