Learning and Leading - August 2010

| LeArnInG connec TIons

approach to advance through the Xeno Island mission. For example, in the first part of the mission, players pick up nautilus shells whose number of rings is equivalent to a prime number. Many students began by simply picking up any shell and dropping it in the console that controls the locked gate that prevents their advancement to the next stage of the mission. Students quickly began referring to the game’s built-in journal, which includes help with math concepts. Once they understood the concept of prime numbers, their actions were more purposeful, and they advanced through the stage more quickly in successive attempts. Students were willing to replay the same mission to improve their overall score. In the spirit of friendly competition, students made multiple attempts to surpass their classmates’ scores.

The students’ success was noticeable not only to us, but also to other teach-

ers who were not directly involved in the study.

The math coach, Greg Goble, said
students who took the Virtual Math
class were inching ahead of students
in the regular math class. “Because
they need to know the math to ad-
vance in the game, they’re willing
to learn it,” Goble said. “It’s building
their confidence, and it’s putting them
ahead in their regular math class.”
After three weeks of game play,
the course tutor, Judy Joseph, said
she had noticed an improvement in
students’ performance. The highly
immersive nature and exciting game
play of DimensionM was effective in
engaging students and teaching them
mathematics concepts. DimensionM
increased middle school student
achievement in mathematics, and stu-
dents were more upbeat about math.

DimensionM can be used in class-
rooms to teach students, especially
those struggling with math. With the
emphasis on game play, students tend
to be less anxious about their academ-
ic performance, allowing them
to focus on the concepts.

Michele Parker is an assistant professor of educational lead- ership at University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Her esearch interests include the use of technology in higher education and K– 12 settings.

Florence Martin is an assis- tant professor in the instruc- tional technology program at UNC in Wilmington. She is interested in researching tools that improve learning and performance.