Young children are generally enthusiastic about math, but around the time they start to learn algebra, both the curriculum and the material lose an element of play. Algebraic thinking requires a deeper level of abstraction, and we tend to relegate the teaching and learning of algebra to intangible and abstract symbols on a board or a piece of paper.
Many students never make it past this loss of tangibility. Students feel that their sense of play has been drained out of the math experience. This change in the way they tend to see math can lead to a sense of antipathy toward it, potentially resulting in a self-perpetuating cycle of lower grades and less confidence. At worst, it can develop into a lifelong aversion for the entire field.
Many students never make it past this loss of tangibility. Students feel that their sense of play has been drained out of the math experience. This change in the way they tend to see math can lead to a sense of antipathy toward it, potentially resulting in a self-perpetuating cycle of lower grades and less confidence. At worst, it can develop into a lifelong aversion for the entire field.
Algebrawl is intended for students who are just beginning to learn algebra. While this could be any age, it is generally 6th, 7th, or 8th graders. It is intended to be played in the math classroom where the teacher can act as an arbiter, if needed.
In the Ouroboros Magic Circle of Game Design, the elements that support the player experience with regard to the game's serious goals are the mechanics, player-player interactions, (and the conflict between those players) and of course, it's relation to real life.
What makes this game engaging is its direct head-to-head competition, and the fact that the players have to acquire greater working knowledge of the rules of algebra to have the upper hand.