There is no doubt that math is a difficult
subject both for students and for teachers. As a student, the idea of math can
be daunting, as the subject often requires practice to refine skills and grasp
concepts. However, as a teacher, coming up with ways to encourage math practice
is difficult. Engagement has emerged as a buzzword, which is often thrown
around as a solution to this problem. While engaging activities often make
learning more exciting, they do not always translate into increased practice
and improved skill development.
Game-based learning, however, has been
proven to engage students in a way that encourages increased practice. This is
especially true of digital games that take an adaptive approach to learning,
which allows students to learn at their own pace. There are some great adaptive
games out there, and when used as a supplemental teaching tool, can have a
profound impact on student learning.
One program that is doing an unbelievable
job of gamifying math is Prodigy
Math Game. Prodigy is a free, adaptive math game that integrates 1st
to 7th grade math into a fantasy style game that students absolutely
love playing. Prodigy’s math content is completely curriculum-aligned and
covers standards from the Common Core, MAFs, and TEKS curricula depending on
your location. Prodigy takes game-based
learning a step further and provides teachers with a powerful set of reporting
and assessment tools that allow them to easily identify trouble spots,
differentiate instruction, and better manage classroom time.
Over 1,500,000 students and 50,000 teachers
use Prodigy for free math practice and it’s easy to see why. Here’s what
teachers we spoke to had to say about the program:
“The Prodigy program has been an invaluable tool to my students and
me. My students are motivated to practice their math skills in a fun and
interactive way both at school and at home. The greatest benefit for my
students is that they are able to work on skills currently being taught in
class and Prodigy automatically adapts based on their performance. The progress
reports highlight individual strengths and needs. This helps with my planning
and differentiation for my students.” – Ivan Dublin, SERTBrimwood Blvd.
Jr. P.S.
“What I really love about the Prodigy program is the feedback that I
get in terms of what the students know and where they need to improve. I
also love the fact that I can see what questions were difficult and
how the students answered them. I believe that students have improved
their confidence in all areas of the math program. They are so excited to
play and learn!” – Sue McCulloch, Grade 3/4 Northport
Elementary School
Prodigy
is extremely effective at engaging students using an adaptive technology to
cater to each individual. Prodigy’s personalized approach quickly identifies
gaps in students’ understanding and works with them by pulling them back to
prerequisite skills and then scaffolding them forward through more difficult
concepts. As a web-based game, Prodigy can be accessed at school and at home on
virtually any device. And speaking of engagement, Prodigy’s user data reveals
that for every 30 minutes a student uses Prodigy in school, they will go home
and play for 60 minutes voluntarily!
Disclosure - Prodigy is a paid advertiser on Educational Technology Guy.
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