Researching adaptivity for individual differences in numeracy games

There is increasing evidence that mathematics video games can play a large role in mathematics education, in support of children's learning. However, despite the interdisciplinary nature of the subject, research in this area has traditionally been fragmented between disciplines. The RAIDING project was conceived to bring together researchers in neuroscience, maths cognition, and game-based learning to develop a maths game that can act as a research platform for furthering knowledge in this field. The game will employ free-to-play design elements, alongside an adaptive learner model to investigate how children learn maths, through a range of empirical studies

Designing an adaptive learner model for a mathematics game

The RAIDING Project (Researching Adaptivity for Individual Differences in Number Games) aims to develop a game for 7-8 year olds, to develop their times tables and number bond skills. One of the design principles of the project is to implement a level of adaptivity into the game, so that the difficulty of the mathematical content adapts to the player's current level of arithmetic fluency. A learner model has been developed to enable the game to use previous gameplay performance to calculate the player's current level of arithmetic fluency, and thereby provide new tasks at an appropriate level of difficulty. A second design principle is to decouple the mathematical difficulty from gameplay rewards, so that progress in the game is achieved through time and effort rather that solely as a result of mathematical achievement. We predict that these two design principles will produce games that are motivating and help players to experience flow. This paper describes and discusses our adaptive implementation, and our approach to decoupling of mathematical learning from rewards. We evaluate the success of the game to date and consider scope for potential development and improvement. We also show how the analytical data produced by the learner model has been used to identify unhelpful in-game behaviours and adapt the game design. A future goal of the project is to explore whether the adaptivity of the learner model can be expanded to include gameplay ability (including elements hand-eye coordination and response times) and allow for separate dynamic adjustment of (non-mathematical) difficulty. We are particularly interested in investigating the affordances of such a "two-axis" flow in the game

Unpacking effective learning through game analytics

This paper describes how a data-driven design analysis was applied to the iterative development of a tablet-based mathematical game for the RAIDING Project. Detailed analytics were recorded for a class of 7-year old children who used the game once a day over a two-week period. Data was recorded to measure the proportion of time spent effectively engaged with learning content (effective learning time). Average response times and accuracies were recorded at the end of each day and plotted to reveal individual trends. This data alluded towards differences in behaviour which were not predicted by effective learning time, and which have prompted iterative changes in the design of the game

Teaching quality in kindergarten: professional development and quality of adaptive learning support enhances mathematical competency

Adaptive learning support provided by kindergarten teachers before and after (macro-adaptive learning support) as well as during mathematical learning activities (micro-adaptive learning support) is a cross-cutting concept of teaching quality. Effective adaptive learning support enhances children’s learning. However, providing it is challenging and teachers need professional development (PD) to improve the quality of their support. This study investigates the mediating role of teaching quality between PD programs for kindergarten teachers and the development of children’s mathematical competency. 122 kindergarten teachers and their 825 pupils participated in the study. The teachers were randomly assigned to three groups. Two groups attended PD sessions designed to foster either macro- or micro-adaptive learning support. The third was the materials-only control group. The data was analyzed using a self-developed rating instrument focusing on generic and domain-specific elements of teaching quality related to macro- and micro-adaptive learning support. The multilevel latent change model analysis revealed that the PD programs had positive and significant effects on the teaching quality of kindergarten teachers. A significant positive relationship was also found between micro-adaptive learning support and changes in children’s mathematical competency. However, an indirect effect of teaching quality could not be detected, and the PD programs did not have a total effect on children’s mathematical competency. The study reinforces the importance of PD that specifically targets macro- and micro-adaptive learning support for kindergarten teachers. The mediation between PD and mathematical competency development requires further investigation

Developing understanding of triangle

As children develop concepts of shape they move from a visual understanding to a property based approach to classification. In this study two cohorts, one a longitudinal study from grade 1 to 4 and the other a sample across a school from pre-school to grade 8, were asked to identify triangles. The resulting data shows errors of inclusion are greater than errors of exclusion and suggests an order in which particular properties are attended to as children learn

The Role of Adaptive Learning Programs in Secondary Mathematics: A Phenomenology Study

The purpose of the transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the role of adaptive learning programs in closing the learning gaps in mathematics for secondary students in Georgia following the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory guiding this study was that of Bandura\u27s theory on self-efficacy, as it highlights how an individual\u27s experience impacts their belief in their ability to complete specific tasks. The central question in this study sought to identify the experiences of secondary math teachers who use adaptive learning programs to address learning gaps in mathematics following the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants for the study consisted of 10 to 15 middle school mathematics teachers in Southern Georgia. Through individual interviews, a focus group, and journal prompts, the study revealed the adaptive program\u27s ability to close the learning gaps of secondary math students. Data was analyzed by systematically sorting the transcripts to identify codes for emerging reoccurring themes

Technology-enhanced Personalised Learning: Untangling the Evidence

Technology-enhanced personalised learning is not yet common in Germany, which is why we have tasked scientists with summarising the current status of international research on the matter. This study demonstrates the great potential of technology in implementing effective personalised learning. Nevertheless, it has not been assessed yet whether the practical implementation actually works: Even in countries such as the U.S., which lead the way in using techology in classroom settings, hardly any evaluation studies have been done to prove the effectiveness of technology-enhanced personalised learning. In the light of the above, the authors make recommendations for actions to be taken in Germany to make best use of the potential of technology in providing individual support and guidance to students