Game On! Multiplayer Educational Video Games Improve Math Scores

More and more schools are embracing educational video game technology to engage students and improve achievement scores. During this presentation a team of educators from one Broward County school showcased the implementation strategies that took them to the top of the leader board in a district-wide math competition. The following are notes from their presentation:

•DimensionU is home to four distinct worlds where students play educational video games to practice core K-12 subject areas: Math, Literacy, Science and History. http://www.dimensionu.com/
•In 10 years there will be 1 Billion virtual world users.
•By 21 average youth will play 10,000 hours (3.5 years)
•Avg. age of game player is 33.
•43% women.
•Tabula Digita provides a social gaming platform for educational content.
•Rewards, competition, collaboration
•Skill proficiency and usage reporting.
•A format that fits in the classroom and at home.
•Personalized and differentiated.
•The goal is to “make learning a lifestyle.” By building the world’s largest community of students learning in immersive virtual worlds.
•A teacher said that student demand was so high to play DimensionM that in the beginning they had to turn students away because of student:teacher ratio in the math lab wasn’t acceptable. They had to work on fire codes, more technology, etc. to help meet demand to play this game. About 25% of the students, on their own, go home and play this game.
•DimensionM is 3rd grade through high school.
•The login screen includes ability to create an avatar. List of students around the world that are playing the game at the same time as you. You can play the games alone or with other learners. You can flip out of game to get instruction on a skill. Otherwise, it’s a supplemental program.
•There is differentiated instruction. The children think they are all playing the same game but the content is specific to what they need. Once you click Launch, everyone’s game looks the same.
•DimensionM has 5 game environments that are 3D built on a popular gaming platform.
•After two tries, the user is given another question. All this is reported back to the teacher.
•All content is aligned to each of the state standards. The teacher can select a state and standard and then assign work.
•Points awarded based on solving problems. Can see how various children are ranked so the teacher can suggest players that are similar in ability.
•DimensionM has math challenges with prizes. One district had 700 children at the face-to-face competition and kids were cheering for their school. Computers were hooked up to big screens so children could see how their school was performing (watch their school’s avatar).
•A new site with new look and feel is about to be released.
•Teachers become facilitators, coaches, and cheerleaders.
•Efficacy studies show this is working and the product has won many awards (including Codie).