LET'S MATH
- is an educative, Flash based app about learning mathematics, (Android / IOS platform) and it is dedicated to:
1. children (age of 8 and 9, that is 2nd grade) - to learn and understand math;
2. parents - to experience math content with their children;
3. teachers - to explain and connect with exact example via more attractive and embracing learning tool;
The experience is organized as exploration, or quest of the magical Math kingdom, where each task is a part of specific math topic hidden behind "the real life situation" and example. User (child) can experience the mathematical tasks freely without any pre-organized guidance, entering and exiting the tasks whenever he /she wishes for. Even tough, this is by all means a game, it's goal is to serve the purpose of a learning tool, so user can also experience the "real lesson" behind every task, more interesting and detailed info about every mathematical topic.
What makes this "game" different than any other is above all:
a) an implementation of teacher's role within the narrative (prof. Ruttkay's concept and idea);
b) simplicity of its structure and design - making it very useful for efficient learning;
c) possibility of fast and easy editing of the content;
d) platform where teachers, parents and developers can participate in its creation simultaneously;
(poster)
"The whole idea of making this project comes from the need to create a framework for teachers, parents and students
for them to interact with artists and “tech” people."
for them to interact with artists and “tech” people."
( visuals / Tasks and overall Art Direction )
"We all know how education is suffering owing to recent massive changes and how in general
education stopped being attractive in its traditional form causing more and more ignorance. Due to
all of this, new, that is, a reformed way of educating is needed! More than obvious, interactive
experience via smart tactile gadgets and overall present IT revolution are surely the best how and
where to start from. Developing technology? -Done deal. Inventing interactive content? OK, we have
it already - but integrating it into official education state funded system? - that is the tricky part.
Especially in countries and societies less or not developed at all. I will try to put this in a nut shell: the
project, Let’s Math (Matekra Fel) can be described as interactive educational content, therefore if:
education stopped being attractive in its traditional form causing more and more ignorance. Due to
all of this, new, that is, a reformed way of educating is needed! More than obvious, interactive
experience via smart tactile gadgets and overall present IT revolution are surely the best how and
where to start from. Developing technology? -Done deal. Inventing interactive content? OK, we have
it already - but integrating it into official education state funded system? - that is the tricky part.
Especially in countries and societies less or not developed at all. I will try to put this in a nut shell: the
project, Let’s Math (Matekra Fel) can be described as interactive educational content, therefore if:
• testing results show its content is suitable for the target group,
• after consuming it users do get the “knowledge”,
• target group actually likes it,
then the question that follows is this: -How can it become an official learning tool and what will it
take for this to happen? But before answering this, one must consider what makes a learning tool a
good one? And can this medium, educative game application, actually serve the purpose education
has according to the learning criteria?"
(introduction form paperwork: "LET’S MATH or GAME AS MOTIVATION TOOL")
"But still having the experience of well-developed game is more than priceless. How to organise a
learning game? How to design it? Program it? Develop it? Integrate the content within the playful
environment with a goal bigger than just to amuse? Well ways and methods are various; I may only
comment on this from my own perspective and however, give a few more examples. Games and
applications are still so-called: new medium of nowadays, and ways of experimenting are more than
just a few. Still, no matter how complicated or simple games can be, few things are crucial: having a
visual part, technical part, interactive part, narrative and educational part integrated or correlated
towards the same goal: a challenging and motivating experience!
learning game? How to design it? Program it? Develop it? Integrate the content within the playful
environment with a goal bigger than just to amuse? Well ways and methods are various; I may only
comment on this from my own perspective and however, give a few more examples. Games and
applications are still so-called: new medium of nowadays, and ways of experimenting are more than
just a few. Still, no matter how complicated or simple games can be, few things are crucial: having a
visual part, technical part, interactive part, narrative and educational part integrated or correlated
towards the same goal: a challenging and motivating experience!
I will not focus now on all of those examples, as my topic is not related on how to make a game but
simply on the question how can a game serve as motivation tool?
So let just assume that we have a well-developed game: created by great team of experts in visual,
technological and storytelling aspects; that the content is adjusted for the target group; and that a
child is able to reach it; -Next question that comes is if that is enough?"
(Testing with the target group)
"The most important stage in creating content for children is the actual testing. Before setting to the next stage, be 100% certain in the relevance and targeting towards the right age. Also, it is crucial to be aware of the fact that the children are only final consumers of the given content and that the very first filters are their parents, teachers, as well as the school system itself. Be sure that you pose the right questions and that you categorise all their answers well."
"If we say playing game is our inner need (to achieve, reach, win, have fun) and if that can be
described as intrinsic motivation, can a game become a more powerful tool if we include aspects of
extrinsic motivation as well? That is, if we enable child's surrounding parents and teachers to
support these "game-a-like" learning tools, by giving them the possibility to participate in their very
development so they could be more excited in seeing the child's progress in learning through them.
My suggestion and idea doesn't lay simply in making new learning games (apps, experimental toys
and other irregular tools) but to have team of parents, teachers, visual and technical professionals
who will all contribute making of new educational tools that could in time become officially
embraced as state funded sources and therefore available to every child.
described as intrinsic motivation, can a game become a more powerful tool if we include aspects of
extrinsic motivation as well? That is, if we enable child's surrounding parents and teachers to
support these "game-a-like" learning tools, by giving them the possibility to participate in their very
development so they could be more excited in seeing the child's progress in learning through them.
My suggestion and idea doesn't lay simply in making new learning games (apps, experimental toys
and other irregular tools) but to have team of parents, teachers, visual and technical professionals
who will all contribute making of new educational tools that could in time become officially
embraced as state funded sources and therefore available to every child.
The user experience interface and whole interactive strategy of "Let's Math" is organised and structured in such way
(aesthetically and technically) that can be easily redesigned and corrected where needed any time,
and I tend to prove that due to that, it is very suitable for this purpose. Not only to provide new
learning experiences but to be the conjoined product of correlated impacts and influences for
children education coming from already mentioned team of: teacher, parent, technical and visual
professionals."
(aesthetically and technically) that can be easily redesigned and corrected where needed any time,
and I tend to prove that due to that, it is very suitable for this purpose. Not only to provide new
learning experiences but to be the conjoined product of correlated impacts and influences for
children education coming from already mentioned team of: teacher, parent, technical and visual
professionals."
