Wheres the math in computer games?
by Megan Murray, Jan Mokros, and Andee Rubin Market research reports that families are spending an increasing amount of money on computer games that are intended to educate as well as entertain their children. “Edutainment” products that promise to beef up children’s mathematics skills are proliferating. Software packages entice parents with claims such as “Makes math skills a no-brainer” and “Learn the math you need to know for real life.” Bombarded by this type of marketing, many parents find it difficult to choose software that can help their children with math. So what should parents look for and expect from good math-based computer games? The critical question, one that needs more attention by software designers and educators alike, is “Where is the significant mathematics in math-based computer games?” Many games are entertaining and claim to be mathematical, but their math content is limited. They emphasize arithmetic, speed, and instant recall of facts, giving parents and child
