Math+Games

The benefit of implementing math skills games in the primary classroom was studied in a 2nd-grade classroom in southeastern Minnesota for a total of nine weeks. One class of 2nd-grade students from the 2004-2005 school year made up the control group. The experimental group consisted of the other 2nd-grade classroom of students from the 2004-2005 school year. The control group experienced their math class in a traditional classroom environment. These students were taught their math lessons through the school system’s required curriculum. Throughout the nine weeks, these students learned the same 2nd-grade math concepts as the experimental group. The experimental group was also taught their math lessons through the school system’s required curriculum; however, this group was also daily actively engaged in math skills games. At the end of each week of the nine weeks, both groups were given a timed math computation assessment in the form 174 Implementing Math Skills Games 4 of a paper and pencil test. The students were given five minutes to complete as many basic subtraction facts as possible out of one hundred. The experimental group’s scores were averaged and compared to the test scores of the control group. The experimental group’s scores were also found to be substantially higher than the control group’s scores. 175 Implementing Math Skills Games 5 CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION...................................7 Need for Study............................7 Statement of the Problem..................8 Purpose of the Study......................8 Statement of the Hypothesis...............8 Definition of Terms.......................8 Limitation and Delimitations of the Study...........................................9 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE...................11 Computational Fluency ....................11 Motivation................................12 Why Games.................................13 Gaming Techniques.........................14 Selecting and Teaching Appropriately......15 Math Matters..............................16 III. METHODS AND PROCEDURES.........................18 Overview..................................18 Design....................................19 Selection of Students.....................19 Validity Measures.........................20 Reliability...............................20 Field Procedures..........................21 176 Implementing Math Skills Games 6 Conclusion................................21 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.........................22 Introduction..............................22 Procedures................................22 Variables.................................23 Hypothesis Testing........................24 V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.........................26 Introduction..............................26 Summary of Results........................26 Conclusions...............................27 Recommendations...........................27 REFERENCES...............................................28 APPENDICES...............................................30 TABLE....................................................24 177 Implementing Math Skills Games 7 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Need for Study The instructor and facilitator of the study has taught in a 2nd-grade room at an elementary school in southeastern Minnesota from 2002-2005. There are two classes of 2nd-grade students. The control group contains 21 students, 100% percent Caucasian, 11 boys and 10 girls, with no students that require extensive special needs services. The experimental group contains 20 students, 100% percent Caucasian, 12 boys and 8 girls, with no students that require extensive special needs services. The school system where I teach feels that math computation is a very critical part of academics. With the pressure from the school system to improve students’ computation skills, several different methods have been implemented; however, none have shown a substantial positive change in scores. (R. Gaines, personal communication, May 15, 2004) Teachers should provide activities and experiences that develop a conceptual understanding of numbers and operations instead of focusing on memorization of rules and procedures. (Postlewait, 2003) This is what is trying to be accomplished by implementing math skills games into a rather traditional classroom setting. 178 Implementing Math Skills Games 8 Statement of the Problem Students appear to be struggling with learning basic math facts. Despite these struggles, their computation test scores have not been improving. Learning facts does not seem to be a fun task for students. They need some motivation to help with the task. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study was to improve student performance by increasing the enjoyment of learning basic math facts through playing math skills games. This was attempted by implementing various math skills games daily in the classroom. Implementing games provided enjoyment for the students while learning math facts at the same time. Statement of the Hypothesis The students’ computation scores will be higher with the incorporation of math skills games on a daily basis than the scores of those using only the required curriculum. Definition of Terms • Assessment: A method of evaluating student performance and attainment. • Basic Math Facts: A piece of information such as a statistic or a statement of the truth. For example: 9-3=6 179 Implementing Math Skills Games 9 • Computation: The calculating of something, or the result of a calculation. • Facilitator: Somebody who aids or assists in a process, especially by encouraging people to find their own solutions to problems or tasks. • Math Skills Games: An activity that people participate in, together or on their own, for fun with a math concept being emphasized. • Primary Classroom: Relating to the early years of formal education, usually for children between the ages of 6 and 12. • Traditional Classroom: A classroom in which learning and teaching are primarily associated with content and learning methods including and related to textbook-centered lecture and instruction. Limitations and Delimitations of the Study The most significant limitation of this study is that the two groups studied are made up of different students. The control group was made of the students from one of the 2004-2005 second grade sections and the experimental group was made up of a different 2004-2005 second grade section. Both groups contained 20 students; the average score from 180 Implementing Math Skills Games 10 the control group was compared to the average score of the experimental group. Another important limitation was that having two groups containing different students allows for a variety of different ability levels. There was no way of pin pointing the exact level of each second grade student in order to have two classes containing entirely equal ability levels. The final limitations deal with the emotions of the students as well as the teacher. The attitudes of people are constantly changing. It was impossible to predict what the student’s attitudes would be like as they entered into my classroom each day. It was also impossible to predict my own feelings and emotions day in and day out. 181 Implementing Math Skills Games 11 CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Computational Fluency The development of number sense and computational fluency should be an integral part of the mathematics curriculum. Because other areas of the curriculum such as data and measurement are closely related to and sometimes dependent on these skills, students must have a firm foundation in numbers. (Postlewait, 2003) Developing computational fluency is a multifaceted task that underlies all further work with numbers. (Phillips, 2003) Composition of a number is a basis of computational fluency. It involves learning all the parts that make up a number, for example, knowing that five is made up of two and three or four and one. Students need time to develop facility with numbers in order to solve problems and think with numbers. Children often do not develop this level of composition and decompositions as quickly as teachers assume they will. When students are forced to work with greater numbers before they can work fluently with numbers to ten, they can become dependent on rules and procedures that have no meaning. (Postlewait, 2003) Teachers should provide meaningful activities and experiences that develop a conceptual understanding of 182 Implementing Math Skills Games 12 numbers and operations. (Postlewait, 2003) During effective instruction, students need experience with a variety of ways to solve problems and opportunities to apply some of their ideas so they can create their own understanding. (Postlewait, 2003) Computational fluency will emerge as students use flexible strategies with greater speed and accuracy. (Phillips, 2003) Motivation “If a man always insisted on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.” -Herodotus (c.485-c.425 B.C.) In order to create effective, meaningful instruction, there needs to be some fun experiences involved; and if we want students to be motivated to learn in the first place, fun must be a regular part of the classroom. Fun is a great motivator! (Erwin et al, 2004) How better to create fun than with games? The element of fun makes games a powerful form of learning because they are intrinsically motivating. (Brandyberry, 2002) Games can provide an active, motivating way for students to review what they have already learned. Although a review of previously learned material is essential, it can be boring and unproductive if the teacher takes full responsibility 183 Implementing Math Skills Games 13 for the review. Involving students in the process can increase the effectiveness of the review and is motivating and fun for the students as well. (Wolfe et al, 2001) Why Games Play is nearly universal among mammals. Studies show that play stimulates the growth of synapses and through practice enables us to stabilize our learning. One definition of play is “something that is fun but purposeful”. Because it is fun, play is an intrinsically motivating activity. “Educational” games are fun but purposeful. Games, as a form of play, provide a means of practicing skills with reduced consequences. (Brandyberry, 2002) The notion of using games to engage children in learning activities is not new. Instinctively, kids create games to help them make sense of the world around them. There is no doubt that one way to generate children’s interest in math is through their favorite activities and games. (Williamson, 2004) In connection with today’s society, most members of the younger generations are considered “masters of the game”. (Leigh, 2003) Games also benefit kids, helping them hone their analytical skills and creativity, and to learn to think “outside of the box”. (Erwin et al, 2004) 184 Implementing Math Skills Games 14 Gaming Techniques In the book, The Classroom of Choice, Jonathan C. Erwin provides a great deal of information regarding the many different techniques for implementing games. Some of the most common types are physical games, mind games, and drama games. Physical games are not just for gym class; they have a number of benefits for any classroom. First, they provide students welcome change from the “sit and git” learning approach. Second, physical games give students opportunities to practice social skills. Third, they help energize students getting blood and oxygen to their brains, preparing them physiologically for better learning when they return to their seats. Lastly, they provide students with motivation to learn! Many students enjoy mind games just as much as physical games. Mental games help students to think outside of the box. There are many benefits for the teacher as well. Mental games require no extra space, require only materials that are already in the classroom, and show kids that thinking can be fun. Drama games are those in which children’s imaginations are active and alive. Drama games can help exercise the 185 Implementing Math Skills Games 15 imagination and significantly enhance creativity. (Erwin et al, 2004) When students are active participants in the learning process, not passive vessels receiving knowledge, the information being learned is much more meaningful. (Brandyberry, 2002) Selecting and Teaching Appropriately As stated earlier, one definition of play is “something that is fun but purposeful”. (Brandyberry, 2002) When an activity or game in a lesson does not have a purpose, it is simply recess. Games do not teach skills; rather, they reinforce skills and teach children how and when to use them. (Humphries, 2000) When selecting a game it is important to ask the following questions: 1. What skills are being reinforced? 2. Is the game enjoyable for all students’ ability levels? 3. Is it an elimination game? – Remember, these games give less practice to those who oftentimes need it most. 4. Are there any social skills this game can help reinforce? Taking the time to answer these questions will help eliminate any possible problems. Also, when trying to come up with ideas for games to reinforce a skill, remember that 186 Implementing Math Skills Games 16 some games have a lot in common and may be able to reinforce more than just one skill. When choosing a game, be sure that it reinforces something that has already been learned! (Humphries, 2000) In order for students to learn from games, the teacher must help them focus on a specific concept, notice strategies they are using, and talk about their discoveries. (Humphries, 2000) Lastly, routine is essential to high productivity when reinforcing skills through gaming. It is important to try to follow the same series of activities during the period of learning. (Phillips, 2003) Math Matters In this day and age, there are still far too many educators and parents who do not realize the importance of laying a sound foundation for mathematical thinking and computation when children are very young. If children do not get a solid foundation in pre-school through sixth grade, they are often filtered out as they enter into middle and high school. (Checkley, 1999) Math advocates generally argue that American schools still aren’t spending as much time on math or requiring as much as they ought to. (Borsuk, 2003) 187 Implementing Math Skills Games 17 It is very important to understand that competence in math can open the door to high-paid jobs, as in computer technology, for example. Our daily lives lead us to call on math for everything from understanding a tax bill to following the news to figuring out what 30% off a pair of shoes means. (Borsuk, 2003) It’s during the primary grades that children build beliefs about what it means to know and do mathematics. It is important to know that children have a natural ability to use a number system and count at this early age as well. It is at this time that math should be very positive and engaging. (Checkley, 1999) 188 Implementing Math Skills Games 18 CHAPTER III METHODS AND PROCEDURES Overview The purpose of the study was to improve student performance on basic math fact timed tests by increasing the enjoyment of learning basic math facts through playing math skills games. Various games were integrated into the required curriculum. Implementing games hopefully provided enjoyment for the students while learning math facts at the same time. The plan was to create a more positive fun environment for learning math facts. If children have the opportunity to experience fun, they will engage with full force. Two groups of students were tested on basic math facts for a nine week period of time. During this time frame, both groups were being taught math with the required district curriculum and one of the two groups also had math skills games integrated into the lessons. Both groups of students would take a timed test each Friday for the nine week period. Each group’s scores would be compiled and graphed weekly. Once the nine weeks were complete, each group’s weekly compiled scores were compared. The results showed if implementing math skills games into the already existing 189 Implementing Math Skills Games 19 curriculum was or was not effective in improving student’s basic math fact computation levels. Design A study was conducted to show whether implementing math skills games would improve students’ basic math fact computation levels. Prior to the study, the teacher was teaching math using mainly the required curriculum. The math classes consisted mostly of the teacher teaching the lesson and the students completing the corresponding worksheet. In addition, each week a timed test would be given to the students to see what each student’s basic math fact computational level was. The teacher was beginning to see a trend year after year. As the year progressed the class scores would often plateau. The teacher began to gain interest in researching new and effective ways to increase student interest in learning math facts so their scores would continue to improve throughout the entire year. Through research, the teacher considered implementing games as a new and effective way to keep students’ interest and morale high when learning math facts. Selection of Students The students that participated in the study were all of the 2nd-grade students from the 2004-2005 school year. 190 Implementing Math Skills Games 20 These students came from two different 2nd-grade teachers. The subjects were boys and girls. The subjects ranged in achievement levels from low to high. All of the students that were in the classroom of the teacher conducting the study participated in the study. Validity Measures This experiment was valid because the math teacher and classroom environment for both groups remained the same. All students were required to complete the same activities within the required curriculum. Students stated they were excited for Mondays to see how each group did on the previous week’s test. The teacher felt the research project was valid in exposing students to fun and engaging math skills games. Reliability All second graders were informed of the study. The subjects discussed why they should to do their best when taking the timed fact tests. The students were scored on the test just the same as if the study were not being conducted. During the study, the tests were corrected by the teacher. The teacher supervised all students during the testing periods so each student was doing their own work and giving an honest effort. 191 Implementing Math Skills Games 21 Field Procedures Data for the study was collected from the students on a weekly basis. A graph for each group’s compiled scores was kept by the teacher. This graph was used to compare the final results of the study. Conclusion A design of study was chosen by the researcher, students were selected to participate in the study, validity and reliability measures were taken into consideration, and timed basic math computation tests were used to assess the students’ basic fact computational levels. 192 Implementing Math Skills Games 22 CHAPTER IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Introduction Integrating math skills based games into an established math curriculum may be a useful tool to aid in improving students’ math fact computation. To test this statement two 2nd-grade classes were used for a nine-week period. Throughout this period of time the students in the experimental group were tested weekly on basic math facts while daily actively engaging in math skills games. The experimental group’s scores were compared to those in the control group, which did not engage in math skills games to see which group had the higher average score. Procedures Two groups of 2nd-grade students participated in the study. Each group was taught math for a nine week period of time by the same teacher in the same environment. While participating in the study, students did basic math facts tests. The control group experienced their math class in a traditional classroom environment. These students were taught their math lessons through the school system’s required curriculum. Throughout the nine weeks these students learned the same 2nd-grade math concepts as the experimental group. The experimental group was also taught 193 Implementing Math Skills Games 23 their math lessons through the school system’s required curriculum; however, this group was also daily actively engaged in math skills games. Each student took a one hundred problem test at the end of each week. The tests were five minutes long each time. At the completion of each weekly test, the tests were collected and scored. Each group’s scores were also averaged and graphed weekly to allow the students to see how they were doing, and also to help the teacher to compare the two group’s scores to see if or how the games were affecting the scores. Variables Independent Variables: • One group of 20 students will complete their math computation tests as normal. They will use only the required curriculum and text provided for nine weeks. • One group of 20 students will actively engage in math skills games everyday along with the normal curriculum and text provided for nine weeks. Dependent Variables: • The students’ test scores are dependent on the change in the daily math routine with incorporating math skills games for one group on a daily basis and not the other. Control Variables: • Both groups of students are in 2nd-grade starting the second semester of the year. • Neither group has had subtraction timed tests at this point in the year. • The test forms given to each group will be exactly the same. • Both groups have the same amount of time to complete each test. 194 Implementing Math Skills Games 24 • All tests will be taken on the same day. • The required curriculum will be the same for both groups. Moderator Variables: • Slight change in teaching methods from one group to the other. • Parent involvement • Absence of students • Change in school environment (special events) Hypothesis Testing To test the hypothesis of the study, the researcher consulted several websites. The most informative being,http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.htm, this site explained the steps of hypothesis testing, including information on mean, median, and mode, the standard deviation, and t-test values. The site provided a definition of what each step was as well as a description on how to reach each of the values. Table one, found on the following page, displays the steps taken to reach a t-test value of 6.67, which proves that the hypothesis tested was in fact statistically significant. 195 Implementing Math Skills Games 25 Table 1: t-Test Results Control Group Scores Experi-mental Group Scores Mean 1052.67 1408.11 Standard Deviation 73.74 115.32 Mode N/A N/A Median 1079 1434 t-test value 6.67 Probability .001 These t-tests used a 95% confidence interval or a significance level of 0.05, a standard level used in research as the criterion for rejecting the null or no difference hypothesis. If the probability is less than or equal to this significance level, then the null hypothesis is rejected, meaning the outcome is statistically significant. If the probability is greater than the significance level then the null hypothesis is not rejected. This means that the outcome is not statistically significant and the results could be simply a matter of chance. Using these explanations, there was a statistically significant difference in the control and experimental groups’ test scores. 196 Implementing Math Skills Games 26 CHAPTER V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Introduction The study was conducted to see if integrating math skills games into an already established math curriculum would increase student test scores on basic math facts. The study was conducted using two 2nd-grade classes during a nine-week period of the school year. Each week the students were tested on their basic math facts. One hundred problems were given and students had five minutes to complete them. The scores were graphed and recorded weekly. The scores were compared weekly in order to observe any patterns or trends between the two groups. Summary of Results After completing the research, the experimental gaming group’s average score taken from the nine weeks given was 73.68 points out of 100. The control curriculum group’s average score taken from the nine weeks given was 52.92 points out of 100. This is a 20.76% higher average from the experimental group scores compared to the control group scores. Conclusions After compiling the data from the research, the results were found to be conclusive that the experimental 197 Implementing Math Skills Games 27 group’s average scores were significantly higher than those of the control group. In the end, the teacher had a very positive outlook on implementing games into the classroom in the future. Recommendations When the study is conducted again some adjustments could be made. Starting the test at the beginning of the year would help to get a better reading as to where the students are at without any prior school related activities. Test problems should be altered so the order of problems will change from test to test. Using this study on other math functions such as subtraction, multiplication, or division throughout the year would also help strengthen results of whether the games help to increase test scores on math facts. 198 Implementing Math Skills Games 28 REFERENCES Borsuk, A. J. (2003). Rhetoric aside, math does matter. Milwaulkee Journal Sentinel, 4(4), 1-4. Brandyberry, A. A. (2002). The effectiveness of computer-based "game show" formats in survey courses: a quasi-experiment. Journal Information Systems Education, 12(2), 109-114. Checkley, K. (1999). Math in the early grades: laying a foundation for later learning. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Erwin, J. C. (2004). The classroom of choice: giving students what they need and getting what you want. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Humphries, C., & Ashey, M. (2000). The games students play: selecting and teaching activities. Journal of Physical Education, Recreations and Dance, 71(4), 13. Leigh, C. (2003). It's all in the game. Childhood Education, 80(2), 59-64. Phillips, L. J. (2003). When flashcards are not enough. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(6), 358-363. Postlewait, K. B., Adams, M. R., & Shih J. C. (2003). Promoting meaningful mastery of addition and subtraction. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(6), 354-357. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 27, 05, from Social Research Methods Web site: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.htm. Williamson, K. M., Land L., Butler B., and Ndahi, H. B. (2004). A structured framework for using games to teach mathematics and science in k-12 classrooms. The Technology Teacher, 64(3), 15. Wolfe, P. (2001). Brain matters: translating research into classroom practice. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. 199 Implementing Math Skills Games 29 APPENDIX A 200 Implementing Math Skills Games 30 APPENDIX B 201 Implementing Math Skills Games 31 APPENDIX C 202 Implementing Math Skills Games 32 APPENDIX D 203