learning patterns for the design and deployment of mathematical games: research methods and findings

Project of two halves Design strand Development of design patterns for the mathematical games Determine the potential implications of their use for the construction of mathematical games. Guidelines for good practice in designing games in education

Design strand

Development of design patterns for the mathematical games

Determine the potential implications of their use for the construction of mathematical games.

Guidelines for good practice in designing games in education

Project of two halves Deployment strand University of Warwick, Freudenthal Instituut, London Knowledge Lab and University of Athens deploy and research the use of a chosen game in classrooms. Each of the partners write a case study describing and analysing that experience Guidelines for good practice in designing games in education disseminated.

Deployment strand

University of Warwick, Freudenthal Instituut, London Knowledge Lab and University of Athens deploy and research the use of a chosen game in classrooms.

Each of the partners write a case study describing and analysing that experience

Guidelines for good practice in designing games in education disseminated.

Demarcation Initial overlap between “design” and “deployment” (design includes test phase – i.e. deployment is part of development) Deployment defined as the integration by the teacher within their learning programme, i.e. once it leaves the design process. Problematic?

Initial overlap between “design” and “deployment” (design includes test phase – i.e. deployment is part of development)

Deployment defined as the integration by the teacher within their learning programme, i.e. once it leaves the design process.

Problematic?

Development steps Literature review Mind maps Typologies Case studies Design patterns Guidelines for good practice (design,deployment)

Literature review

Mind maps

Typologies

Case studies

Design patterns

Guidelines for good practice (design,deployment)

Categories Categories determined in face-to-face meeting. Mathematical content Learning and instruction Educational content Games Interface and interaction Software design

Categories determined in face-to-face meeting.

Mathematical content

Learning and instruction

Educational content

Games

Interface and interaction

Software design

Mind maps

Typologies Mind maps used to: develop typologies Establish metadata for case studies http://lp.noe-kaleidoscope.org/workspace/cases/ChanceMaker/

Mind maps used to:

develop typologies

Establish metadata for case studies

http://lp.noe-kaleidoscope.org/workspace/cases/ChanceMaker/

Case studies Shared pre-existing case studies Each partner also uses pre-existing games in new setting Warwick using Juggler and ChanceMaker microworlds

Shared pre-existing case studies

Each partner also uses pre-existing games in new setting

Warwick using Juggler and ChanceMaker microworlds

Case study methodology Questionnaires for teachers Observe classroom interactions Interview teachers about process of Selection of game Creation of learning activities around game Issues around deployment Effectiveness of learning experience

Questionnaires for teachers

Observe classroom interactions

Interview teachers about process of

Selection of game

Creation of learning activities around game

Issues around deployment

Effectiveness of learning experience

Initial findings Literature review – Educational context / supporting learning activities highly important “ A game is just an excuse for debriefing” Time in classroom needs to be focused on curriculum content, not in learning the game Wide variety of barriers that need to be addressed

Literature review –

Educational context / supporting learning activities highly important

“ A game is just an excuse for debriefing”

Time in classroom needs to be focused on curriculum content, not in learning the game

Wide variety of barriers that need to be addressed

First impressions Deployment occurring throughout June. Initial feedback includes Difficulties with installing game and platforms Games expected to be intuitively obvious to use Cannot always see alignment with curriculum Enthusiasm for concept of gaming to support education Value of having tips for classroom activities

Deployment occurring throughout June. Initial feedback includes

Difficulties with installing game and platforms

Games expected to be intuitively obvious to use

Cannot always see alignment with curriculum

Enthusiasm for concept of gaming to support education

Value of having tips for classroom activities

Caveats Self-selected sample Highly interpretivist Small sample size Short time-scale Not generalisable Aim is to identify potential issues

Self-selected sample

Highly interpretivist

Small sample size

Short time-scale

Not generalisable

Aim is to identify potential issues

Next step Develop design patterns Identify characteristics of games and their deployment Identify relationships between characteristics Look for elaborations and instantiations

Develop design patterns

Identify characteristics of games and their deployment

Identify relationships between characteristics

Look for elaborations and instantiations