Algebra Meltdown is a fun math game in which the player solves linear equations to guide atoms through a nuclear reactor. You have been hired by Lissaman Industries to work on one of its dangerous black-ops research projects. Your job as a new controller is to fulfill the requests of the scientists waiting at the Generator’s outlets. Each scientist will request a certain atom, which you create by solving linear equations, then guiding ‘raw’ atoms through the Generator’s labyrinth of machines and tubes to the appropriate requester.

I played a few of the algebra games I found on the web, in an effort to establish a context for what the MangaHigh team achieved with Algebra Meltdown. The thing that struck me immediately was that most of the algebra games are terribly simplistic in terms of game play, so much so that sometimes the game play is derived from some bolted on activity. In contrast, Algebra Meltdown is real game with a serious algebra curriculum as its underpinnings.

The game play has complications beyond the equations themselves… You have to be quick and give the rather impatient scientists what they need. If you take too long in fulfilling a request, the scientist will storm off. If you frustrate too many scientists, you will be terminated. So, the clock is ticking… tick-tock, tick-tock. The other complication is managing the gates, on any given reactor, that deliver an atoms to a specific outlet. You might solve the desired equation, but route it improperly.

The pace of Algebra Meltdown is quite good and it some how avoids that “math test” feel. It doesn’t take too long before you start to feel the pressure created by the demands of the scientist and managing multiple requests. The quality of the game design really does shine through, inasmuch as the curriculum is woven into the very fabric of the game.

Once again, I have to say, “Bravo!” to the MangaHigh team.

Technorati Tags: Algebra Meltdown, Fun Math Games, MangaHigh

TranStar

I found and played more than a dozen transformation games, to give me a bit of context for what the MangaHigh team accomplished with TranStar. The objective of most transformation games seems to be the establishment of a cursory understanding of the concept of geometric transformation. In contrast, the ManagHigh objective for TranStar is for the player to take away a more in depth understanding of the concept of transformation and how the different types of transformation can work in concert to inform the orientation, position, and size of a shape.

The MangaHigh team crafted the presentation of the transformations such that they are cumulative. That is to say, that once reflection is introduced, it can be presented along with any transformation that follows. So right from the outset, the MangaHigh team had a more substantive approach than most who have tried to create a game around this subject.

TranStar plays very much like a puzzle game, where you have a piece that has to fit into a hole, but to get it into that hole, you have to use the transformations available to you. In contrast to the pace of “Save Our Dumb Planet”, it feels as if the player is much more in control. In “Save Our Dumb Planet” I often felt as if I was waiting for the game, but in TranStar it felt as if I could move things along. The game play was absorbing without the math test feel of “Save Our Dumb Planet”.

MangaHigh correlates game achievements to lesson objectives, for each game, but that’s to be expected if one is going to be GCSE compliant.

In TranStar, as with all MangaHigh games, the math is laid bare for the player use, manipulate, and enjoy.

Kudos to the MangaHigh team!

Technorati Tags: Fun Math Games, MangaHigh, Transtar

It’s not so much that Rowland had an idea, but the educational games idea had him. He thought “Mathematics is the largest subject in education and education is the second biggest industry globally…” Not being a mathematician, he needed that voice, that touchstone to help give form to this new thing. So, he rang the only mathematician he knew, the energetic Marcus du Sautoy, who used to be a fellow student at Wadham College, Oxford. Professor Du Sautoy had recently been appointed to the position of Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, tasked with communicating science to the public. This was the beginning of Blue Duck Education Ltd. Du Sautoy would ultimately become the Chairman of the Board of Advisors for Blue Duck.

Hatchling
In the midst of a rather bleak educational landscape in which UK math proficiency had fallen to an all time low, Blue Duck Education Ltd. lauched MangaHigh.com .
Rowland’s vision of having fun math games that push the player to take away even more skill than he had observed at “King” was now a reality. MangaHigh’s games target kids from 11 to 16 years old, with the greater audience being innovative math educators and parents. The games themselves go beyond simple arithmetic, and help kids find the game in practicing algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, by solving real-world problems.

On launch day, MangaHigh.com presented five original, GCSE compliant games to the world: BIDMAS Blaster, Save Our Dumb Planet, Pyramid Panic, and Flower Power. A couple of months later, a new game called “Ice Ice Maybe”, was added.

What’s In The Box?
MangaHigh is a freemium site. Many of the games can be played free of charge, but to get the full benefit from the site, you have to sign-up for a paid subscription. The “User” account (for those who have registered, but not paid for premium content) and the “Member” account (for those who have registered and paid for premium content) differ in the following respects:

• “Users” can play Prodigi games at the Easy Level <<>> “Members” can play unlimited Prodigi games (Easy, Medium, Hard and Extreme)

• “Members” can Analyze progress and achievements via detailed reporting per lesson

• “Members” Benefit from system recommendations for achieving personal goals via the to-do list

Like many subscription based education sites, MangaHigh has a Parent login that give a parent a window on the activity of a Member account and access to the Analysis tools. I have no gripes with the information presented and the analysis tool, however I would like to see an e-mail facility that would allow the report e-mailed to up to 5 addresses (similar to that found in the DreamBox Learning Parent Dashboard). This kind of functionality is a good way to keep the person (aunt, uncle, grandmother, or grandfather) who paid for the membership, in the loop.

Proof
I found the MangaHigh games rather addicting. They are games in the truest sense of the word, not just a high tech re-image of a typical math drill. These games are adaptive in difficulty (they learn from your responses) to keep the player experience engaging and entertaining.

BIDMAS Blaster is a calculating game in which the player apply the BIDMAS order of operation (Brackets, Indices, Division, Multiplication, Addition, and Subtraction) to calculate the code that will destroy the approaching Roborators or add to your arsenal.

This game is reminiscent of the old “Math Blaster” series… Frenetic from the start, this game can quickly escalate as it draws you into the world of BIDMAS.

Save Our Dumb Planet is a graphing game in which you solve algebraic equations to inform the trajectory of missiles that can destroy meteorites headed for Earth. A panel of three trash-talking scientist are on hand to add to the confusion as you attempt to select the correct equation and plot the necessary waypoints to launch and destroy the approaching meteorites.

For me this game had that math drill feeling. Don’t get me wrong, it was well crafted and thought out, but seemed like a math test.

Pyramid Panic is a Egyptian themed geometry game in which you have been mummified and trapped deep in the bowels of a pyramid. You must use your geometry skills to build bridges across the voids and extricate yourself from the pyramid, keeping out of the reach of Ammit, the mongrel demon.

The MangaHigh crew has done it again! This game crafts a real sense of urgency as the difficulty ratchets up.

Flower Power is a number order game in which you attempt to grow and harvest flowers to earn money. Sharpen your ordering skills by putting decimals, fractions, and percentages in the proper order. Once you’ve grown a full stem of flower, you have to decide whether to havest the stem or let the flowers be pollinated to grow more plants.

Although Flower Power is simple in concept, one has the distinct feeling of keeping many balls in the air.

Ice Ice Maybe is an number estimating game in which your objective is to assist four waddles of penguins in reaching the holiday paradise of Summer Isle. The penguins migration takes them across the perilous Estim Ocean, patrolled by insatiably hungry orca. You must use your estimation and approximation skills to position floating icebergs and bounce the penguins to safety, from glacier to glacier.

While this game has manages to create a sense of urgency, the game play is more linear than it is in Flower Power. However, positioning the iceberg is a complication, inasmuch as you’re learning the scale at the same time you’re trying to use it, so you may find yourself looking for values that aren’t there.

Long story short, the game is very cool in concept and execution… No pun intended.

Prodigi is, without a doubt, MangaHigh’s most significant achievement. It is a math learning engine that uses a database of hundreds of thousands of questions (as well as the solutions and hints) that have been submitted by math teachers. Prodigi is adaptive, so a student will have a highly individualized experience based on ability. It is designed to work in concert with the math games, introducing mathematical concepts as part of game-play and promoting understanding and instinctive response through repetitive problem-solving.

Verdict

MangaHigh.com has stepped up to the plate and hit a home run!

Math is part of the fabric of these games as opposed to something that has been bolted on (as is too often the case) and the games are commercial quality.

If most teachers presented math the way it is presented on MangaHigh, we wouldn’t have so many alienated math students.

Bravo to Toby Rowland, Dr. Marcus du Sautoy, and the entire MangaHigh team.

Encore! Encore!

Technorati Tags: Fun Math Games, MangaHigh

There are some things that could be better from a parent’s perspective, such as granular control of the reward catalog (so I can specify what is displayed). So, as to prevent my child purchasing something I find objectionable.

That said, I really like the SmartyCard concept… however, there was something about it that left me with that off balance, giving me that “roller-coaster speeding down hill” feeling. It took me a while to “plumb the depths of my own neuroses” to uncover the answer, but uncover it I did. I was rather surprised at the root cause of my discomfort. It was taint, that is to say, corruption by association.

I had let my growing disdain for Scholastic Books give me a uneasiness with SmartyCard, along with a bit of uncertainty about Gazillion (SmartyCard’s parent company) thown in for good measure.

SmartyCard had partnered with Scholastic Books in its “Summer Reading Challenge” to prevent summer slide. This was intended to be a “branding boost” for SmartyCard, but for me it had the opposite effect… I don’t like the turn toward the “commercial” that Scholastic Books has taken. They’re taking advantage of their reputation as a purveyor of educational books (with carte blanche access to classrooms), to expose our children to an increasing stream of toys and media tie-in products.

Beyond the schlock, this is where the angst starts for me… The SmartyCard – Scholastic partnership has the ability to kick open the door to Sponge Bob, Hanna Montana, and the like, “teaching” in our classrooms and computer labs. Some might think I’ve become unhinged, but I’m not the only parent that has a growing dissatisfaction with Scholastic… read these articles (“Teachers snub Scholastic toys“, “Scholastic misusing its book clubs?“, and “Does Scholastic Deserve a Failing Grade?“) a mere smattering of the total number.

To SmartyCard, “Don’t get tarred with a brush meant for someone else!”

The crew at SmartyCard is sharp, so I hope this “faux pas” was something attributable to the first steps of a new company, and is something that won’t be repeated.

My trepidation with Gazillion stems from what Gazillion is: An MMO gaming company. Gazillion it to SmartyCard as Disney is to NBC News… I get that. It has proven to take a company like Gazillion Entertainment to make something like SmartyCard work.

I believe that if SmartyCard is left alone, everything should be fine, but if Gazillion decides to leverage some of its deals (such as its 10 year deal with Marvel Entertainment, read Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America) I hear the sound of that classroom door being kicked open once again.

Technorati Tags: elementary math games, Fun Math Games

What Is SmartyCard?
SmartyCard is a prepaid web-based educational service that provides a “learn and earn” play experience aimed at “tweens” (3rd to 6th graders). The points children accumulate, by answering seven-out-of-ten activity questions correctly, can be redeemed for real and virtual rewards – such as DVDs, music from iTunes, books, toys, and access to popular virtual worlds like Club Penguin.

The SmartyCard website is well-crafted, colorful, and easy to navigate. The characters used on SmartyCard.com are friendly and engaging, but avoid the taint of Barney and Elmo. SmartyCard.com presents educational content that addresses reading, writing, math, social studies, cultural studies, technology and science. This content was developed in partnership with e-learning leaders Learning.com, Ignite Learning, and LearnStar.

Thus far, ten virtual worlds that have partnered with SmartyCard: Bella Sara, Cartoon Doll Emporium, Club Penguin, Elf Island, Planet Cazmo, Stardoll, ZooKazoo, Zwinky Cuties, Neopets, and Webkinz, though the last two are only selling physical merchandise as rewards. Other SmartyCard partners include the likes of Kajeet, Nickelodeon, and Scholastic.

Is It Safe For Kids?
SmartyCard creates a safe and fun online environment for kids, and is compliant with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) rules.
There is no “Chat” functionality at the present time.
SmartyCard has a policy of only sending e-mail to parent account holders.

Parent Over Shoulder!
As with most subscription websites for children, SmartyCard has “Parental Controls” which allows a parent to view progress reports, set e-mail options (such as having reports e-mailed) as well as configuring Child accounts (by setting password, grade level, and funding). This is much better than peering over youtween’s shoulder.

Free SmartyCard Account?
There are essentially two funding designations for SmartyCard accounts… Funded and unfunded (read free). Anyone can create a free (unfunded) account to give SmartCard a test drive.
That said, unfunded accounts have limited access to the considerable library of SmartyCard activities. This begs the question, is what one sees in a “test drive” a representative sample of SmartyCard content?

Pay Up!
Funding SmartyCard is considerably better now, than when the service launched, due to the introduction of Subscription Service Pricing in July 2009. Subscriptions offer the best bang for the buck and are available in month-to-month, three month, and six month. At the end of every month of the subscription a new load of points is added to your child’s account. Points unlocked by your child (by correctly answering activity questions) will rollover to the next month. Subscription funding can be augmented bySmartyCard’s other funding method; pre-paid points. Pre-paid points are like buying a giftcard at a specific value (with these values ranging from $10 to $25, in $5 increments). Family and fiends can “reload” a SmartyCard too, taking a bit of the weight off of Mom and Dad.

What Now Sisyphus?
Although SmartyCard is visually attractive and has incentivized educatational tasks, it can at times feel more than a bit like real homework. So, you’ll likely have to do some poking and or prodding to get your tween to sit down and log in. The challenge for the SmartyCard staff is to create an activity that will elicit the the same kind of responses as the quizzes, but not feel so much like homework.

That said, this challenge is not peculiar to SmartyCard, but is set down to any person or company that attempts to create truly engaging educational software.

The Verdict Is…?
I like the SmartyCard concept! It has what it takes to capture the imagination of parents and tweens alike.

Technorati Tags: elementary math games, Fun Math Games

I had already written an article about DreamBox Learning K-2 Math and had done quite a bit of research in an effort to compare and contrast subscription educational websites that claim to have fun math games. I was quite impressed by DreamBox Learning, so I asked my wife to take a look at the website. I had a pretty good feel for how she would react, but had no idea as to which points would resonate with her.

What is DreamBox K-2 Math?
DreamBox K-2 Math is a subscription educational service for children in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, that provides a web-based adventure that integrates fun math games in a colorful animated world. Children can choose from thirty-six avatars to represent themselves on screen. They can also choose from four themed environments (dinosaurs, pet, pirates, and pixies), each with eight stories and hundreds of activities.

Impressions
The things that impressed me were the effectiveness studies, the curriculum, instructional philosophy, and the underlying technology (that makes truly differentiated instruction possible). Since there was significant overlap in the things that stood out for each of us, let me focus on the things my wife actually spoke to as length.  She said, elements that struck a chord for her were the Parent Dashboard, the reports (and being able to send them to her Black Berry), and the idea that the continuous assessment keeps the material challenging, but not to the point of being frustrating. When we concluded our conversation I was surprised when my wife asked me to complete the registration. She was impressed enough that the subject had changed, from an academic discussion about the facilities of a nondescript online educational service, to DreamBox Learning K-2 Math specifically… something she wanted to purchase to help our daughter.

The Kid Test
I had no idea as to how our daughter would react to DreamBox, then again I have no idea as to what she will or will not eat from meal to meal.

In her first session she played DreamBox for approximatly 1.5 hour and did not want to stop… she tried to bargain with her mom for more time to complete her current adventure. Her second DreamBox session was very much like the first, approximately 1.5 hours in duration and an expressed desire to continue playing. In her third session my daughter was on her way to completing the 100 frame. I was looking over her shoulder as she actually completed the frame. When she realized what she had accomplished, she jumped out of her seat and did a kind of “End Zone” dance and chanted, “I did it! I did it!”

Back to School
At this point we start back to school preparation, making all our schedules were rather chaotic, so there is no DreamBox session for the next 5 days.

On the evening of the 6th day, my wife received an e-mail message from DreamBox saying, “It’s been 5 days since your daughter has played DreamBox Learning. We thought you might like a reminder, since research suggests she will benefit most from the math lesson games if she plays at least twice a week, for 15 minutes or more each time.” Both my wife and I thought the “tickler” message was great, inasmuch as it’s so easy for schedules to go awry.

We’ve integrated DreamBox into our daughter’s after school routine

Conclusion
Technologically and academically DreamBox was a slam dunk, by the specs, but that in no way meant it would be a success with a persnickety 6 year old.  That said, DreamBox K-2 Math was an unqualified success. I can’t even begin to list the linchpin elements that cause DreamBox to appeal to our daughter, but appeal it does.

Technorati Tags: elementary math games, Fun Math Games