Evaluation of videogames for mathematics education with young children

Changes in technology and lifestyle bring about changes in the way humans acquire knowledge. In many cases, traditional methods of teaching are proving unsuccessful. These changes bring about a challenge: how can knowledge best be transmitted, ensuring that the students understand the material, and are able to successfully utilize it when solving problems? This challenge is very pressing in the area of mathematics, a subject that is often accompanied by high levels of anxiety in students. By utilizing a novel approach that combines game play, simple computer programming, and topics in mathematics, this challenge may be overcome. In this paper, the use of Microsoft´s Kodu video game platform in the learning process is analyzed based on an application in a group of twenty students in their fourth and fifth years of primary education. The results of this workshop are also analyzed in terms of effectiveness and appeal to students. Overall, the workshop has been a success, as the students evaluated it as effective and entertaining.