Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.65 (Games and Graphics 2014), pp.9-12
http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/astl.2014.65.03
Design of a Tablet-based Mathematic Educational
Game for Children
Guangzong Zhang1, Eeljin Chae2, Hongsik Pak3,
Division of Visual Contents, Graduate School, Dongseo University,
47 Jurye-ro, Sasang-gu, Busan 617-716, South Korea
[email protected] and {cinetree2, hspak3}@gdsu.dongseo.ac.kr
Abstract. Educational games are serious games specifically designed for
educational purpose. Over last decade, the applicability and practicability of
serious games have become more and more developed. HIRO MATH is a tablet
game that specifically designs for the arithmetic education for children. In this
paper, we describe the design of this iOS system-based tablet application,
which is aim to give a positive effect on children’s interest on math-learning
and improving children’s mental focus of knowledge acquisition during game
process. Furthermore, offer an educational game platform that is not
constrained by space, time and activate children’s initiative of knowledge
acquisition. As a result we believe HIRO MATH can be a tablet-based
educational game platform for children of which combine game entertainment
element and educational purpose.
Keywords: Serious Game, Children Arithmetic Education, Educational Tabletbased Game Platform
1
Introduction
Educational games are serious games specifically designed for educational purpose.
Serious Games, in term, are playful environments that are intentionally designed to
have a purposeful impact on the players' lives beyond the self-restrained aim of the
game itself [1]. In another word, serious games are computer games designed not for
pure entertainment, but for serious purpose [2]. Tablet device, as a trendy and
developed device poses new opportunities to expand applicability and practicability
of Serious Games.
Past researches indicated that game-based learning attracts and motivates children.
Tablet-based educational game, as an educational tool that could create a close
interaction with child through a handheld device, furthermore, could induce and
attract children’s concentration and interest of certain subject through the game
process, especially during after class time, has a great positive effects for parents and
teachers [3].
Hence if we control the entertainment of game delicately that enough to trigger
children’s motivation, and add educational element inside of tablet-based gameplay
context consciously, we believe a valuable tablet-based educational game platform
could be produced.
ISSN: 2287-1233 ASTL
Copyright © 2014 SERSC
Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.65 (Games and Graphics 2014)
This paper presents a tablet-based mathematic educational game platform for children
- HIRO MATH. The main goal is to offer a platform that is not constrained by space,
time. What is more, could able to give a positive effect on children’s interest on mathlearning and improving children’s mental focus of knowledge acquisition during
game process.
2
Game Concept
In order to make a valuable educational game, it is obviously necessary to make a
fully preparation of game concept. HIRO MATH aims to help children to focus their
attention, meanwhile increase the interest in mathematic learning through a playful
and entertaining game content. As to relieve the pressure, and activate children’s
initiative of knowledge acquisition of mathematic. Main target group of HIRO
MATH is students of elementary school (4-11 years old). Subject of game maintain
most index of mathematic textbook of American elementary school, in addition, in
order to give a great experience to users, during game designing process, we also took
a fully review of Top 100 applications in Education Category of American app store
and theirs customer comments.
2.1
Backstory
As two of the fundamentally game elements that could motivate children - fantasy,
curiosity, an original backstory has been set. Whole scenes of HIRO MATH are set in
a planet – Planet Quilt where is filled with joy and colors until an evil witch takes
away all colors of everything that exists on the planet. The only creature survived
from this bad luck is our main character – BB. [Fig.1] So evil witch promise BB if he
can pass all the missions that she had arranged, BB can bring the color back to Planet
Quilt step by step.
Fig. 1. Game Concept Design: Main Character (BB), Village, House
Based on the basic elements that could trigger children’s motivation, through the
delicate game concept design of which will all be set as arithmetic context, we expect
our users can enjoy the various game contents and master the skill of Four Arithmetic
Operations.
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Copyright © 2014 SERSC
Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.65 (Games and Graphics 2014)
3
3.1
Description
Flow Chart
HIRO MATH has 4 main scenes: Main Scene, appeared when users open application;
Village Scene, after Main Scene been showed, users will see Main Character
Selection interface and 4 Villages Scenes (Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide) directly;
Stage Select Scene, showed after select on Each village at Village Scene, which
contain 9 stages of each village; Game Play Scenes, after select on certain stage, users
will get into the actually gameplay interface. When the gameplay end, interface will
return to Village Scene after finish stage mission (Win or Lose).
Fig. 2. Ball hitting Combat Game Interface, Game Flow Chart
3.2
Game Process
A good game is the one that teaches everything it has to offer before the player stops
playing [4]. For the entertainment purpose of HIROMATH, we have designed 2 game
modes. Each mode context is based on basic contents of Four Arithmetic Operations.
Ball Hitting Combat: Users play through bump users’ ball up with all the balls that
appeared in game interface, based on the colors of which algorithm it represent (Blue
- Add, Red - Subtract, Purple - Multiply, Black - Divide) to decide users whether gain
or lose points; 16 Cubes: On an interface of 4*4 cube web which contains different
numbers, based on the instructions, users tap on each cube in order to get or gain
points.
For the purpose of bring more challenging elements for users’ experience, based on
win or lose results, users can also gain items and gold in order to buy certain items
from item store as to upgrade character and speed up gameplay [5]. Furthermore,
through the game process that transforms traditional counting process from numbers
to image expression, we believe that HIRO MATH possesses the elements to become
an educational tablet-based game platform for children.
Copyright © 2014 SERSC
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Advanced Science and Technology Letters
Vol.65 (Games and Graphics 2014)
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Conclusion
In summary, combine with the delicately designed game concept; challenging and
diversified game process, we believe HIRO MATH will have a positive effect on
leading children’s interest in arithmetic and activate children’s initiative of knowledge
acquisition of mathematic. Furthermore, as a tablet-based game, HIRO MATH also
can eliminate the possibility of space and time constraint of knowledge acquisition
process. Eventually, HIRO MATH can be functioned as an educational tablet-based
game platform for children as a result to help not only children also many parents and
teachers.
Acknowledgments. This work was supported by the Brain Busan 21 Project in
2014. The authors would like to acknowledge Dongseo Univ. for supporting this
research through DSU project.
References
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ACM Press, New York (2005)
3. Sigmund, T., J, D.F., David. Y.D., Alexander, P.W.: Review of research on computer games,
Computer games and instruction. Information Age Publishing (2011)
4. Raph, K.: A Theory of Fun for Game Design. Computers and Education, Paraglyph Press,
(2004)
5. Csikszentmihalyi, M.: The flow experience and human psychology. In: M. Csikszentmihalyi
&I. S. Csikszentmihalyi. (eds.), Optimal experience, pp.15--35. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge (1998)
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