Sumdog+(Caleb)

The educational game I chose to review was Sumdog, an online based game learning system that offers three different K-8 subject areas, math, reading and writing. For my review I chose to focus in on math at the 8 grade level. A basic description of this game would be, it includes mini games that have the player solve math problems to make moves in the games. In the first picture below, you will see a stack of items that I placed, one item at a time for each correct answer I had. Similarly, the second picture below is another game that has the players practicing math problems and for each correct answer the player gets to advance their character.



As for the things that this game taught me I would have to say that there we few math related things that this game innately teaches. It does however, allow student to practice the things they have learned in math. Some other things that this game teaches are competition, speed, and accuracy. It does this through allowing the player to compete with themselves, their classmates and the world (all depending on the settings that the teacher chooses). It teaches speed by creating an atmosphere that encourages the student to act quickly, if they wish to succeed in the game that they are playing. It also teaches accuracy by scoring the player and encouraging them by rewards and to get better by offering corrections at the end. The two pictures below are of the scoring system and of the correction system. The scores and corrections differ slightly depending on the game type chosen.

As for how this game taught me, I would say that basic reward, praise and feedback were used. Rewards were given in the form of points, which can be used in the store to customize your character. Praise was given from the scoring and from the check marks indicating a correct answer. Feedback was given by the “x” when wrong and the corrections at the end of the game.

Some of the big learning principles I found in this game were semiotic domains principle where students need to learn how to play in the math world. Committed learning principle by allowing players to extend their real-world identity onto their virtual character by practicing what they have learned previously. The achievement principle is very present in the scoring system that ranks players scores with other players. The practice principle is present because students are able to practice the math they have learned in games that they find entertaining. Situated meaning principle for the ideas of math and the transfer to game play, where the meaning stays the same.

Overall, I feel that I like Sumdog, at least the math portion. It offers a variety of games for players at different ability levels. As you will see from my pictures, I made mistakes during the game. While I am of the belief that everyone makes mistakes, I feel that I still attribute some of my mistakes to the level of competition and speed the game presented. I found myself trying to work so quickly at times that I would answer incorrectly. Nonetheless, I still feel that at a basic level this game did what it was designed to do. It gave the player opportunities to practice math problems in a fun and inviting atmosphere.

In regards to how I would see a teacher use this game in their curriculum, I feel that I am a little blessed, because I have already seen it done. Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to assist at a summer school, in a middle school math classroom. The teacher I had the opportunity to work with, used this game as a way to supplement curriculum during the 90 minute daily class period. Playing Sumdog didn’t happen every day, and really only happened during a few of the last days of school. But on the few days that the students did play, part of the period maybe the last 20-30 minutes was given to the students to play on Sumdog. The teacher had beforehand created student profiles and limited what questions and games they had access to. Then during that time of the period the students would compete with each other or play by themselves. Through the limiting process, in the settings, this teacher was able to set the type of questions to those that that class was working on. And thusly, the students were practicing what we were working on in class, in a game type of setting. So, to answer the underlying question here of how to implement this game, I would say that I would do so similarly to how I just described.