Abstract
To build a competition, communication and cooperation online-game-based platform for studying the first year Calculus courses and their related courses using visualization tools, symbolic solvers, chat box media and sound recording software.
To build a systemic coaching platform for three different roles: teacher, peer and learner – Person-Computer, Person-Computer-Person, Group-Computer-Group and Person-Computer-Group.
To use AI algorithms to discover students’ learning habits and trace the success and failure of their problem-solving experience, and then redesign the problem sets using error-correction learning algorithms
Brief write-up
Project objectives
• To build a competition, communication and cooperation online-game-based platform for studying first year Calculus courses and their related courses using visualization tools, symbolic solvers, chat box media and sound recording software
• To build a systemic coaching platform for three different roles: teacher, peer and learner using Person-Computer, Person-Computer-Person, Group-Computer-Group and Person-Computer-Group interaction approaches
• To use AI algorithms to discover students’ learning habits and trace the success and failure of their problem-solving experience, and then redesign the problem sets using error-correction learning algorithms
Activities, process and outcomes
Activities
• Pre-Calculus – Two problem sets are given.
• Calculus at Game Play – One problem set is given.
• Calculus at Game Play – Online Learning of Differential/Integral Calculus – Five problem sets are given.
Process
1. Insert the following types of answers inside the box using a MATH calculator mode:
• A mathematical expression
• A numeric number
2. Complete multiple choice tests
3. Match items
4. Visualize the graph of the given function using GeoGebra as a graphical visualization aid
5. Select either TRUE or FALSE for a mathematical statement
6. Reorder/Reshuffle mathematical statements using a dragging button mode
7. Perform reciprocal marking using a check list clicking mode
Outcomes
Students can review basic knowledge of pre-calculus, improve their problem-solving skills, do drills with differential and integral calculus problems and their solutions and get used to Person-Computer-Person, Group-Computer-Group and Person-Computer-Group learning modes via different game play models. These models are Three Boxes Game, Spoof Game, Odd Even Game, Bluffing Game and Fibonacci Nim Game. Problem sets are designed using specific types of Mason’s, Walsh and Satters’s, and Sahin and Kulm’s questions.
Deliverables and evaluation
Deliverables
Project website
- https://www.math.cuhk.edu.hk/~mathcal/mathgame/
• Pre-Calculus
- http://mathcal.math.cuhk.edu.hk:5000/Pre-calculus
• Calculus at Game Play
- http://mathcal.math.cuhk.edu.hk:5000/Calculus
• Calculus at Game Play – Online Learning of Differential/Integral Calculus
- https://www.math.cuhk.edu.hk/~mathcal/mathgame/Unit31/
- https://www.math.cuhk.edu.hk/~mathcal/mathgame/Unit32/
- https://www.math.cuhk.edu.hk/~mathcal/mathgame/Unit33/
- https://www.math.cuhk.edu.hk/~mathcal/mathgame/Unit34/
- https://www.math.cuhk.edu.hk/~mathcal/mathgame/Unit35/
Deliverables and evaluation
We shared our pedagogical teaching experience at the International Conference on Learning and Teaching 2021 (ICLT2021) on 8 December 2021. We gave a 20-minute oral presentation entitled
Smart C3-based learning platform: Applying conceptual and procedural approaches and the three worlds of mathematics.
We presented a night talk at Non-resident Hall – Liu Yi Tang at CUHK. We gave an hour-long oral presentation on 8 November 2021 entitled
Education? Entertainment? You are never too old to play! This talk covered how to use the applications of game theory in Calculus learning and teaching.
We presented our pedagogical teaching experience at the Community of Practice Symposium of Education Innovation and Technology 2022 at CUHK, Hong Kong on 2 June 2022. We gave a 20-minute live oral presentation entitled “
An iterative model of the initiation-response-follow-up sequences in online Calculus teaching and learning”.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
Impact on teaching and learning
Our aim is to support prospective teachers as they encourage the growth of students’ mathematical thinking processes by having them solve problems based on Polya’s four steps model, and Tall’s three worlds of mathematics model and tools for questioning, e.g., Mason’s, Walsh and Satters’s, and Sahin and Kulm’s questioning types. Teachers will use the C3 (communication, competition and cooperation)-based learning platform together with any mathematical thinking processes models that fit their needs and use them face-to-face in classrooms and in online teaching.
To create a teaching-learning interaction sphere, the eLearning platform presented here will provide students with a channel for swapping between C3 online-game-play learning modes. By acting in different roles, e.g., teacher, peer and learner, students are able to build their own mathematical thinking processes and use them for other topics, e.g., linear algebra and probability courses.
Moreover, after any math problems are solved, if students made any mistakes in their conceptual and procedural approaches, the platform uses a recommendation system to provide them with a set of specific problems designed to improve their skills. Hence students will learn from their mistakes and immediately see where they need to improve through a student-centered leaning approach and online discussion, learning and sharing strategies.
