Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference of Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2009)
INTI University College, Malaysia
CREATE AN EDUTAINMENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
FOR MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Siew Pei Hwa
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia ([email protected])
ABSTRACT
This paper describes an interactive multimedia web-based application called “E-Maths”, aimed to foster a
positive attitude among young learners toward mathematical science. This application is addressed to children
of the primary schools, who can practice mathematical thinking skill in a pleasant and appealing manner. This
paper also describes the author’s experiences in using multimedia and game-based approaches to motivate
mathematics learning among Year One to Year Three students. The author believes that the experiences from
this study can provide insight on issues of importance to research on multimedia learning in the classroom and
to education as a whole.
KEYWORDS
Mathematics learning, Digital game-based learning, Edutainment, Multimedia, E-learning, Web-based
application, Learning environment
INTRODUCTION
The technological applications, especially the use of multimedia applications have become
more common in today’s education, stimulating innovative approaches to teaching and
learning. In recent years, research activities on the uses of computers and multimedia
technologies in school have increased greatly. The difficulties in the learning of mathematics
are well-known. Interactive multimedia application provides a mechanism to revolutionise
mathematics instruction. The use of new technologies facilitates both instructors and the
students to effectively transmit the knowledge on mathematics. An increasing trend of
computer use at primary school level has caused changes in the learning process. Multimedia
learning objects play vital roles as a supplement to the conventional teaching approach.
Multimedia programmes are designed to support and accelerate learning process. Educators
have been using multimedia as teaching materials for years; this is because multimedia is able
to offer the experience of listening, looking and doing in a computer-mediated setting. It can
be exciting, interesting, motivating, and help students achieve understanding in new ways.
The use of sound, photographs and video enables the user to experience the real world
situations which may not be possible with the more conventional methods of instruction
(Oliver, 2000). This means that computer and multimedia technologies have simply provided
the vehicle for teaching and learning.
Traditional and formal education may not have been able to engage students with different
styles of learning. In any learning situation, students’ feelings, attitudes and motivation to
learn are important to determine the learning performance on knowledge acquisition.
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Traditional classroom teachers have been concerned about students’ disengagement and
lukewarm interest in studies. The design of a learning environment built on the educational
properties of games can be an appropriate way to improve learning. Digital games are usercentred; they can promote challenges, co-operation, engagement, and the development of
problem-solving strategies. Prensky (2001) asserted that games have the power of engaging
people. They are fun and provide interaction, interactivity, problem solving, story and other
elements that give the user involvement, structure, motivation and creativity, among other
benefits. There were extensive empirical evidences supporting the positive effect of
educational computer games used in enhancing students’ performance in mathematics,
science or military (McFarlane et al., 2002).
This paper discusses new approaches to teaching mathematics at primary school level. EMaths (E-learning of Mathematics in primary schools) was the name given to this study. It is
suggested that using multimedia learning objects and computer aided learning can vastly
enhance effectiveness and positive impact of the mathematics learning process among young
learners. This study seeks to design a digital game-based learning environment to teach
mathematics among Year One to Year Three primary school students. Furthermore, the
author attempts to examine the value of digital game-based learning environment by
comparing the learning performance of using game-based e-learning with traditional-based
learning in classroom.
DIGITAL GAME-BASED LEARNING
In recent years, digital games have assumed an important place in the lives of children and
adolescents. Children and young people are introduced to the virtual world via videogames,
and the ways that they interact with technology may be changing ways of learning and the
production of knowledge. Engagement and motivation are interesting benefits of the use of
games in learning.
The combination of education and entertainment is the current buzzword in e-learning
community. The well-known terms such as game-based learning, digital game-based learning
or edutainment are popular phrases and all tapped as the teaching and learning technologies
using the computer games. It means the value of computer games beyond entertainment is
increasingly taking into account. E-learning is moving beyond merely digital content for
online accessibility. Digital game-based learning is emerging as the new dynamic model of elearning (Squire, 2005). Many reasons support toward game-based e-learning. The most
direct reason is that people usually feel bored about traditional learning and e-learning, while
games always can elicit motivation and provide the experience of engagement. Many people
believe that educational games are effective because they motivate children to actively
engage in a learning activity as part of playing the game.
The use of educational games within lesson plans is an increasingly common practice for
teachers and educational technologists. There are several pedagogical approaches that can be
used inside and/or around a game, such as learning by doing, learning from mistakes, goaloriented learning, role playing and constructivist learning (Prensky, 2001). Integrating
computer assisted and game-based learning into the mathematics learning process can greatly
enhance the learning experience and significantly increase success rate in knowledge
acquisition for a majority of students. Games connect specific content and skills with a user
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friendly environment where the student is able to play, try, make mistakes and learn. At the
same time, game based e-learning approach may foster a positive attitude among young
learners toward mathematical science.
E-MATHS LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
This study develops two e-learning environments, a web-based learning and a digital gamebased learning. It was developed using Adobe Flash and was sponsored by Southern
Communication & Computer (SCO) Multimedia Sdn. Bhd. These learning environments aim
to cater different learning styles among young learners aged seven to nine years old.
Based on the mathematics curriculum syllabus of MOE (Ministry of Education) for Year one
to Year three primary school students, the author integrated 16 lessons into E-Maths:
Quantity Comparison, Numbers Within 0 To 20, Ordinal Number Within 20, Numerals And
Words Within 20, Arrange Numbers Within 0 To 20, Addition Within 20, Subtraction Within
20, Numbers Within 100, Count Number Within 100, Arrange Numbers Within 100,
Addition Within 100, Subtraction Within 100, Solving Daily Problems, Shape And Space,
Introduction To Time, And Naming Days And Months. Each lesson encompasses the
introduction of the topic, explanation with multimedia leaning objects, and three game-based
drill activities.
Game-Based Learning Environment in E-Maths
E-Maths reflects a new, multimedia approach to foster a positive attitude toward
mathematical science in children. It is an interactive and flexible tool, centred on the child,
who gradually constructs his/her knowledge. The game-based learning environment we have
designed includes three game-based drill activities embedded in all the 16 lessons
respectively. The following sections show some sample screenshots from 3 of the 16 lessons
(Lesson 1, 4 and 15) in E-Maths; it adopts educational games approach in enhancing
children’s understanding on Mathematical concepts.
Educational Games Integrated in Lessons 1 (Quantity Comparison)
One of the games built into Lesson 1 is “Card Matching Game” to test the understanding of
“Quantity” concepts in children. As shown in Figure 1, 16 cards appear with different amount
of fruits; 2 of the cards have the same amount. Learners need to find all the matching pairs of
cards (For instance, match the card with 4 fruits to the other card with the same amount). If
learners click on the 2 correct cards, both cards will disappear; whereas if learner match the
first selected card with a wrong card (different amount), both cards remain on the screen.
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Cards with different amount of fruits
Figure 1. A sample screenshot from a “Card Matching Game” in Lesson 1
Educational Games Integrated in Lessons 4 (Numerals and Words Within 20)
“Join the Dots Game” is one of the educational games embedded in Lesson 4. In this activity,
learner needs to join all dots by following the sequence of numbers to discover a picture
under those dots. If a learner successfully joins all dots in sequence as shown in Figure 2
(left), a screen as revealed in Figure 2 (right) is displayed. This activity intends to test the
children on the sequence of numbers within 20.
Figure 2. Sample screenshots from a “Join the Dots Game” in Lesson 4
Educational Games Integrated in Lessons 15 (Introduction to Time)
Figure 3. Sample screenshots from the gaming page of “Time Matching Game” in
Lesson 15
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“Time Matching Game” is one of the educational games integrated into Lesson 15. When the
game starts, learner needs to match the digital clock (e.g.: 5:00) with the same time shown on
analogue clock as can be perceived through Figure 3 (Left). Match by dragging and dropping
the digital clock into an appropriate box below the analogue clock. After all the digital clocks
have been matched with appropriate analogue clocks, learner needs to press ‘OK’ button to
validate the answers. A ‘Check’ sign () appears beside the correct answer, whereas a
‘Cross’ sign () will appear beside the wrong answer as shown in Figure 3 (Right). However,
learner will be given opportunities to re-match those analogue clocks with wrong answers
until he/she accomplishes all the matching pairs of clocks.
Tan et al. (2008) noted that digital games are relatively more fun, more attractive and more
motivating to use compared to other modern forms of new media and therefore have potential
in education. The integration of learning with gaming makes mathematics learning more fun.
Making learning fun motivates students and helps them pay attention and stay focused on the
subject (“What is game-based learning”, 2008).
E-MATHS EVALUATION AND FINDINGS
This study sought to assess the effects of using multimedia teaching instruction versus
traditional classroom instruction on students’ achievement in mathematics learning. The
samples of the study were Primary 3 students. 20 children participated in the evaluation. Two
sets of achievement tests were developed by the author, which covered multiple-choice
questions on the selected lessons presented in E-Maths.
At the beginning of the study, both experimental and control groups were asked to respond to
the first set of achievement test to measure their prior achievement in selected lessons. Before
the intervention started, the experimental group was given a 20-min introductory session on
how to use the multimedia learning material (E-Maths) prepared for this study. The
experimental group then was given a 30-min “warming up” session to familiarize them with
computer and E-Maths. Due to time constraint, during the treatment, the experimental group
worked on the selected 5 lessons in E-Maths at their own pace for 4 hours. Once the
experimental group completed working through the selected lessons, both experimental and
control groups were tested using the second set of achievement test. Thereinafter, the analysis
of data was done based on parametric approach using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social
Science). Independent-samples t-test was used to test the following hypotheses:
H0: There is no significant difference between edutainment learning
environment and traditional classroom instruction.
The H0 testing was to determine whether there is a significant difference between
experimental group and control group in Mathematics learning. The results showed that the
null hypothesis (H0) would have been rejected at both 0.01 and 0.05 significance level (ρ <
0.01; ρ < 0.05). The findings also showed that there is a significant difference, (t = -3.881; df
= 18; p < 0.01), between two tested groups, namely experimental group (mean1 = 3.00 
0.258) as compared to control group (mean2 = 1.70  0.213). The findings of this study are in
line with other studies (e.g. Gan, 1994; Kulik & Kulik, 1991). These two studies reported that
computer-aided learning had an ability to advance the achievement of students in their
learning subjects.
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CONCLUSION
As advances in technology create new opportunities for education, it is important to use a
range of theoretical perspectives to optimise use of new technology in teaching and learning.
E-Maths not only presents the mathematics instruction using multimedia learning objects,
arouse their interest of learning through the power of digital games, but also assists children
in understanding mathematics concepts more effectively and expeditiously, while providing a
delightful multimedia performance. It may be used in class as a demonstration tool or as an
individual basis and it helps reaching pedagogic goals. E-Maths will be used to outreach to
teachers, parents, and individuals in society who are interested in new curricula and
educational reform.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank See Chee Wee for his work in this study, particularly in helping to
conceptualize the study and develop the prototype of E-Maths.
REFERENCES
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