Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games?
This qualitative case study examines the learning that occurred when a small group of middle grade youths embarked upon a personal excursion during a game-based math walk. Math walks are an informal learning activity where learners and facilitators explore mathematical concepts embedded in everyday...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1302693/full |
| _version_ | 1797384189802184704 |
|---|---|
| author | Marc T. Sager Maximilian K. Sherard Saki Milton Candace Walkington Anthony J. Petrosino |
| author_facet | Marc T. Sager Maximilian K. Sherard Saki Milton Candace Walkington Anthony J. Petrosino |
| author_sort | Marc T. Sager |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This qualitative case study examines the learning that occurred when a small group of middle grade youths embarked upon a personal excursion during a game-based math walk. Math walks are an informal learning activity where learners and facilitators explore mathematical concepts embedded in everyday spaces. The MathExplorer app is a location-based mobile game designed to enhance and gamify math walks. In our broader research, we investigated a group of 18 middle grade learners who used MathExplorer to engage in math walks at a local nature preserve. While most youths in this study used the game as planned by the researchers, one group deviated from the plan and devised new ways of playing the game and participating in the math walks. We see this deviation, or personal excursion, as a source of insight for research on game-based math walks. To understand the learning that took place during this personal excursion, we draw upon sociocultural and self-directed theories of learning. Using methods of interaction analysis and embodied action conversation framework, we analyzed the small groups’ discussion, movement, and game-use to understand: (1) the point at which the students departed from the planned use of MathExplorer; and (2) the learning that took place after this departure. The findings include how the youth explicitly incorporate mathematics into game play through an activity-as-planned, and how the youth embark on a personal excursion relating to game mechanics and gamification, with an implicit focus on mathematics. We discuss the importance of personal excursions for designing informal mathematics learning experiences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:32:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1de329caed4d481f92adc9bf5f134ab5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:32:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-1de329caed4d481f92adc9bf5f134ab52023-12-21T04:48:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2023-12-01810.3389/feduc.2023.13026931302693Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games?Marc T. SagerMaximilian K. SherardSaki MiltonCandace WalkingtonAnthony J. PetrosinoThis qualitative case study examines the learning that occurred when a small group of middle grade youths embarked upon a personal excursion during a game-based math walk. Math walks are an informal learning activity where learners and facilitators explore mathematical concepts embedded in everyday spaces. The MathExplorer app is a location-based mobile game designed to enhance and gamify math walks. In our broader research, we investigated a group of 18 middle grade learners who used MathExplorer to engage in math walks at a local nature preserve. While most youths in this study used the game as planned by the researchers, one group deviated from the plan and devised new ways of playing the game and participating in the math walks. We see this deviation, or personal excursion, as a source of insight for research on game-based math walks. To understand the learning that took place during this personal excursion, we draw upon sociocultural and self-directed theories of learning. Using methods of interaction analysis and embodied action conversation framework, we analyzed the small groups’ discussion, movement, and game-use to understand: (1) the point at which the students departed from the planned use of MathExplorer; and (2) the learning that took place after this departure. The findings include how the youth explicitly incorporate mathematics into game play through an activity-as-planned, and how the youth embark on a personal excursion relating to game mechanics and gamification, with an implicit focus on mathematics. We discuss the importance of personal excursions for designing informal mathematics learning experiences.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1302693/fullinformal learningmathematicsgame-based learningmath walksapp developmentconversation analysis |
| spellingShingle | Marc T. Sager Maximilian K. Sherard Saki Milton Candace Walkington Anthony J. Petrosino Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games? Frontiers in Education informal learning mathematics game-based learning math walks app development conversation analysis |
| title | Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games? |
| title_full | Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games? |
| title_fullStr | Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games? |
| title_short | Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games? |
| title_sort | rising in the ranks learning math or playing games |
| topic | informal learning mathematics game-based learning math walks app development conversation analysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1302693/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marctsager risingintherankslearningmathorplayinggames AT maximilianksherard risingintherankslearningmathorplayinggames AT sakimilton risingintherankslearningmathorplayinggames AT candacewalkington risingintherankslearningmathorplayinggames AT anthonyjpetrosino risingintherankslearningmathorplayinggames |