There is so much gaming hype in the world that it has invaded the education system for better and for worse. Clearly, the system is trying to find solutions to the epidemic of failing math, science, and reading scores. I’m just not sure that educational video games are the solution. This is the second part of a 3-part series and we will be discussing in depth another study done with the DimensionM game, which is the math part of the DimensionU Gaming Suite.
Case study #2: Where is the full report?
A Broward County study showed that the average improvement before and after the test was 82.7%, with 75% of students using DimensionM receiving a passing grade in the course versus 35.5% of students using DimensionM. they didn’t use DimensionM.
For the second study, I had to do some more research. Clearly, the increase in test scores and the increase in passing grades is remarkable. What I found out is that this study was used on a group of 7th and 8th grade students in a “Math Remedial Program” in the summer. This means that these were students with very low grades in Mathematics and therefore had great potential to increase test scores.
In fact, I am satisfied with the results. These were young students whose scores were well below average and 75% of those who played DimensionM games raised their test scores to “passing” levels compared to only 35% of students who did not play reached grades. approving I applaud the increase.
As I continued to search for the “full report” on the study to gather more details, I learned that there is no full report. At least, none that can be found anywhere on the DimensionU website or anywhere else online. I was a bit disappointed because all I could find were the highlights of the study. This makes me a bit skeptical at best.
The first set of figures is also unclear. He says that “the pre-post-test improvement was 82.7%”. Does that mean that, on average, the students’ scores were 82.7% higher after they had played the game? Or does it mean that 82.7% of students “improved” their test scores? I’ll assume the statement relates to the second question. If it is true that 82.7% of the students improved their grades, then by how much? The study does not say. It only states that 75% of the students received a “passing grade.” So, 3 out of 4 students passed and could continue to the next level of Mathematics for the next school year.
I wonder how many of the students had failing grades and then were able to raise their grades to a “D” range that would be considered a passing grade? The study does not answer this question. Is it safe to assume that at least some of those below average students went from an F in Math to a D? Sure, in the 3 weeks, I would also consider that an improvement.
Now all the schools want to play
For schools that have the budget they want to invest in the DimensionU Gaming Suite. Why? Because the goal of schools is to minimize the number of students who fail as much as possible. It makes his stats look bad. Schools want to implement this technology in the classroom and use it as a teaching tool in hopes that more students will get passing grades.
When did mediocrity become acceptable?
Nowhere in this study is it even suggested that with this technology we could beat China, Japan, India, or many other countries in math, science, and reading test scores. The study doesn’t hint at it, because it’s not possible! This study implies that everyone’s test scores will increase if used in the classroom. The facts are not there. Everyone is so excited that their failing students are reaching mediocrity at best. wow! Let’s all applaud. We will have more mediocre students to compete against superior Math, Science and Language students in other parts of the world.
Certainly, we must help our students who fail. I am not attacking them. We must do whatever it takes to increase their abilities. One idea I have for struggling students is to give them
the opportunity to participate in this system of games after school. The games will give them the opportunity to repeat more to absorb the material that was taught in class. I just don’t want to see entire class periods focused on educational video games.
I’m not against educational games, but I don’t want the excitement for this technology (just like any other new technology) to be implemented in such a way that it becomes a crutch for learning. Most of the students who participated in the study said they would like to have the DimensionU gaming suite in the classroom next year.
Does learning always have to be fun?
For the last twenty years, I’ve been hearing that if learning can be done in a fun way, why not do it? I’ve also heard countless times that learning is supposed to be fun. Certainly enthusiasm can help the learning process, but I think it’s a bad precedent for teaching children that learning is supposed to be fun. They will grow up thinking that everything is supposed to be fun. Is everything in life fun? If you are an adult reading this, then you know the answer.
Let’s be realistic. Some things in life are not fun and that’s okay. If everything was fun, we wouldn’t appreciate it. We need the “unfunny” things in life to be able to make that comparison and therefore enjoy the fun when it comes our way. So sometimes learning is not fun, but it is part of life. We need to be challenged. Humanity did not get to this point in time with nothing but mediocrity. We have come to this modern technological world because humanity overcomes its challenges.
Our Expectations Keep Falling
We have gone from “giving children a head start in life” to “no child left behind”. The bar goes down and down. Instead of focusing on achieving mediocrity, we should focus on achieving superiority.
1 way to achieve greatness
Certainly, technology can help us advance knowledge, enhance our children’s education, and achieve greatness. The Internet is proof that young people are making great strides in intelligence as most of humanity’s knowledge is available online. How to find it is a completely different topic.
For young people to take full advantage of the technology that is available to them, it is necessary to start early in the development of the brain so that they have the capacity to absorb, interpret and apply what they learn. As I said in Part 1, learning to play a musical instrument should be on the list of essential tools to develop intelligence. We are not talking about passing grades or mediocrity. We are talking about developing a mind that can not only absorb information and regurgitate it, but a mind that has the capacity to imagine, discover and innovate. This type of mind will be able to produce, contribute to society and compete with the rest of the great minds in the world.
I want to remind you that we humans did not get to this point in time by learning algebra in a video game. The leisure and pleasures that we enjoy in this modern society were provided to us by intelligent minds that developed through hard work, dedication, and the desire to achieve something for the world that was bigger than the world that was given to them.
In Part 3, I will analyze a third case study of the educational game suite and provide real data on the benefits of studying music to compare which method is better for developing intelligent minds.