There was evidence to suggest that as a result of participating in the professional learning and carrying out action research projects interest in games as a pedagogical tool had been heightened. However, for some teachers there had been little real shift in their use. They were still being used as lesson starters or for extension but not as a prime pedagogical tool. Comments were made such as:
They are adjunct to learning and assist in making it more interesting.
The children use maths games before school.
I’ll use it to wrap things up and I use a game as a warm up.
We’ve started using games in our maths classes during every lesson and we generally start off with some sort of mental maths game or activity and then we end with something like that.
We have Thursday games.
I will play a game to reinforce mental maths.
I’ll use them as an introduction or sometimes they can be used to teach a skill or for early finishers.
Only one teacher indicated using games in a more thoughtful manner where she incorporated games into her learning program. It was disappointing that more teachers did not link the use of games to the needs of children or specific mathematics concepts being studied at the time.
I try to teach something via a game or more to incorporate a game in part of our learning program; then it’s much better or more effective.
Typical responses indicated that most teachers were looking for practice games, with simple instructions that were easy to store. Classroom management issues such as storage, packing away and losing pieces were all cited as issues teachers consider important when selecting games for use in the classroom. Classroom management issues featured more than matching the game to the needs of the children or a particular concept. Responses included comments such as:
I prefer games where skill plays a part. Games that don’t make too much noise.
I prefer fairly simple and easy to explain games. I need games that can be got out quickly, set up quickly and packed away quickly.
I like quick games….quick and simple... not a lot of set up and things that you access without having to spend a lot of money.
These responses indicate that teachers are often concerned with the everyday functioning of the classroom. Practical issues such as noise, packing up, and cost come before a learning experience – but not always as the response below indicates.
It’s nice to have a game where they can play and you can observe them and you can actually see whether they know what they are doing or whether they are following.
The comment above indicates that the teacher is using the game as a diagnostic tool, not simply as a time filler. The following comment indicates that some thought had been given to matching the games to the needs of the learner.
I prefer games that are relevant to their stage of their learning.
The teachers felt more confident in choosing games as a pedagogical tool as a result of being exposed to research on games and from having participated in various action learning projects. Simply being involved in four days of professional development had raised their awareness of the variety and types of games available. The active support provided by the research team meant that the teachers had the opportunity to try some new and potentially more risky games without unsettling their usual classroom management.
The confidence to try new games is indicated in comments such as:
I’m more aware….looking around to see what’s new out there and willing to have a go.
This PD inspired me to use them ‘cause people have put research into games being good instead of me just thinking that they were, so it’s been good to have that behind me… sort of inspiring me to do it. It’s given me the confidence to start doing it
I’m using them which I wouldn’t have before.
It’s given me confidence to use them. I was doubtful of the educational benefit but now I have seen them using Numero and the Trading game that there is educational benefit and they actually improve in their knowledge.
It’s made me think about all the games that are out there and more from a teaching values viewpoint and they are valuable tools to use. It’s just about looking at more opportunities to use them and try different ones.
I think we thought they were more of a fill in time really than actually consolidating a concept. we thought we’ll give them a game to do at the end of the maths work or whatever and they can just play that game…..it will give them skills but we didn’t actually realise how many skills they were actually learning from the games.
I’ve found it really useful. It almost gives you permission to use games because there is research to support it.
I’ve always wanted to do so I have been more encouraged to think …they’ve got more worth than just playing for the sake of playing games and it’s not just wasting an hour of….it’s not like a …. time filler where you can sit down but think that it’s a time to get around with the kids, talk about strategies.
The literature and anecdotal evidence suggested that games were being used in mathematics classes in a rather perfunctory way. The evidence gathered from the teachers in this study seemed to confirm this belief. While most of the teachers indicated their awareness of games and the research supporting them had been heightened for them, little real change appears to have taken place. Still teachers viewed games as a strategy to:
Motivate children, that is, make practice more interesting
Occupy children who finish their work early or
They are adjunct to learning and assist in making it more interesting.
The children use maths games before school.
I’ll use it to wrap things up and I use a game as a warm up.
We’ve started using games in our maths classes during every lesson and we generally start off with some sort of mental maths game or activity and then we end with something like that.
We have Thursday games.
I will play a game to reinforce mental maths.
I’ll use them as an introduction or sometimes they can be used to teach a skill or for early finishers.
Only one teacher indicated using games in a more thoughtful manner where she incorporated games into her learning program. It was disappointing that more teachers did not link the use of games to the needs of children or specific mathematics concepts being studied at the time.
I try to teach something via a game or more to incorporate a game in part of our learning program; then it’s much better or more effective.
Typical responses indicated that most teachers were looking for practice games, with simple instructions that were easy to store. Classroom management issues such as storage, packing away and losing pieces were all cited as issues teachers consider important when selecting games for use in the classroom. Classroom management issues featured more than matching the game to the needs of the children or a particular concept. Responses included comments such as:
I prefer games where skill plays a part. Games that don’t make too much noise.
I prefer fairly simple and easy to explain games. I need games that can be got out quickly, set up quickly and packed away quickly.
I like quick games….quick and simple... not a lot of set up and things that you access without having to spend a lot of money.
These responses indicate that teachers are often concerned with the everyday functioning of the classroom. Practical issues such as noise, packing up, and cost come before a learning experience – but not always as the response below indicates.
It’s nice to have a game where they can play and you can observe them and you can actually see whether they know what they are doing or whether they are following.
The comment above indicates that the teacher is using the game as a diagnostic tool, not simply as a time filler. The following comment indicates that some thought had been given to matching the games to the needs of the learner.
I prefer games that are relevant to their stage of their learning.
The teachers felt more confident in choosing games as a pedagogical tool as a result of being exposed to research on games and from having participated in various action learning projects. Simply being involved in four days of professional development had raised their awareness of the variety and types of games available. The active support provided by the research team meant that the teachers had the opportunity to try some new and potentially more risky games without unsettling their usual classroom management.
The confidence to try new games is indicated in comments such as:
I’m more aware….looking around to see what’s new out there and willing to have a go.
This PD inspired me to use them ‘cause people have put research into games being good instead of me just thinking that they were, so it’s been good to have that behind me… sort of inspiring me to do it. It’s given me the confidence to start doing it
I’m using them which I wouldn’t have before.
It’s given me confidence to use them. I was doubtful of the educational benefit but now I have seen them using Numero and the Trading game that there is educational benefit and they actually improve in their knowledge.
It’s made me think about all the games that are out there and more from a teaching values viewpoint and they are valuable tools to use. It’s just about looking at more opportunities to use them and try different ones.
I think we thought they were more of a fill in time really than actually consolidating a concept. we thought we’ll give them a game to do at the end of the maths work or whatever and they can just play that game…..it will give them skills but we didn’t actually realise how many skills they were actually learning from the games.
I’ve found it really useful. It almost gives you permission to use games because there is research to support it.
I’ve always wanted to do so I have been more encouraged to think …they’ve got more worth than just playing for the sake of playing games and it’s not just wasting an hour of….it’s not like a …. time filler where you can sit down but think that it’s a time to get around with the kids, talk about strategies.
The literature and anecdotal evidence suggested that games were being used in mathematics classes in a rather perfunctory way. The evidence gathered from the teachers in this study seemed to confirm this belief. While most of the teachers indicated their awareness of games and the research supporting them had been heightened for them, little real change appears to have taken place. Still teachers viewed games as a strategy to:
Motivate children, that is, make practice more interesting
Occupy children who finish their work early or
As a quick introduction to a lesson, such as a mental mathematics game at the start of the lesson.
It seems such games were not afforded the status of being legitimate pedagogical tools, hence little real effort and time was given to linking games with the curriculum needs of the children. Where games such as Numero have been systematically taught and incorporated into the mathematics programme, it is clear they can improve skills and problem solving. Where games are not considered as serious pedagogical tools the results will be patchy at best.
In conclusion, our preliminary research into the use of games as a pedagogical tool has left us grappling with many issues. Some actions to be taken as a result of this preliminary study are listed below:
Based on the data gathered in this study the researchers plan to narrow the range of games offered to teachers and systematically examine the mathematics behind each game.
Strategies will be developed to help teachers incorporate games into the classroom so that they are not bothered by management issues such as packing up and noise.
Clearer links between specific games and curriculum need to be provided so that it will become easier for teachers to match games to specific mathematics content. Showing how games may be used to develop specific mathematics content and thereby support children‟s learning will help raise the status of games as a pedagogical tool.
Support materials will be created so that teachers will be able to make better observations of children when playing games. Linking the use of games to appropriate assessment strategies and targeted learning skills is one way the researchers believe that games will be elevated in pedagogical status.
Criteria for selecting appropriate games and rejecting others need to be developed so that the use of games as a pedagogical tool is based on sound principles.
It is certainly not the belief of the researchers that games should be used all the time when teaching mathematics, but rather only when appropriate. A better system for classifying and defining games needs to be developed so that it will become easier for teachers to find and evaluate the merits of games.
Before games become accepted as an appropriate pedagogical tool in teaching mathematics, teachers will need to be convinced of their worth. This preliminary study has helped to indicate there is much to do.
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