Learning Through Play: This Trick is Not Just for Kids Welcome! Grab a puzzle. Try to solve it with partner.

Learning Through Play: This Trick is Not Just for Kids Nicole Tunmire Jennifer Sauer Gulf Coast Student Success Conference November 17, 2017 Nicole: [Welcome everyone and introduce self and turn it over to Jennifer.] Jennifer: [Introduce Self] Jennifer: To begin, take another few minutes to see if you can solve our puzzles. PAUSE FOR A FEW MINUTES

Puzzle 1 What are the next two numbers in the sequence? 11, 31, 71, 91, 32, 92, 13, 73, 14, 34, 74, 35, 95, … The sequence is the two digit prime numbers… with the digits switched: 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, … so the next two numbers in the sequence are 16 and 76 from the primes 61 and 67 Nicole: Ok, we are ready to show you the answers. Jennifer: [Present solution – each line of solution is a new animation]

Puzzle 2 A new operation symbol has been created. Your task it to determine how the ¿ operation works. Based on the given equations, what is the solution to the final one? 1 ¿ 2 = 5 3 ¿ 4 = 25 4 ¿ 5 = 41 5 ¿ 6 = 61 7 ¿ 8 = _______ The ¿ operation is to square the numbers and add them together. 7 ¿ 8 = 49 + 64 = 113 Jennifer: [Present solution – each line of solution is a new animation]

Puzzle 3 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99, 121, 132, 143, 154, 165, … A multiple of eleven I be, Not odd but even, you see. My digits are a pair And when multiplied, beware, Make a square and a cube out of me. What number am I? 2*2=4 4*4=16 6*6=36 8*8=64 43=64 Nicole: [Present solution – each line of solution is a new animation] 88

Puzzle 4 Add WHICH to WHAT and divide by four, WHICH squared is now in store. WHAT to WHICH is 35 to 1, you see, The values of each, please tell me. Nicole: [Present solution on white board] Nicole: These types of puzzles are just a taste of the types of activities I use to help my students engage in fun learning. These types of puzzles can be used to build not only mathematics skills, but also creativity and critical thinking.

Why Games? Self-motivating Engaging Social Scalable Skill reinforcement Connected learning Nicole: Some other reasons for using puzzles and games are that they create a different learning situation. Jennifer: When people play games, the motivation for learning a skill is different. Mastering the skill often becomes secondary to the drive to win. Learners perfect a skill with the intention of excelling. The social and engaging aspects relieve the pressure often associated with very structured learning environments. Nicole: From a practical perspective, games can allow scalable individual learning experiences because students work in pairs or small groups. In mathematics, games can be used both for introducing new material and skill reinforcement. In either case, the activity provides students with an experience to connect their learning too.

Play in Action Junior High and High School Student Nicole: I got my start with using play as instruction through summer programs for junior high and high school kids. TexPrep Math Bridge With these programs skill reinforcement was the primary goal. Let’s play a game…

War Winner Jennifer: Now we want to show you a simple skill based variation of a game that you may be familiar with. Most people have probably heard of the card game War. Two players divide a deck of cards in half. Each player flips over a card. The player with the highest card takes both cards. The objective is to win the war by ending up with the full deck of cards.

Integer War Integers are the positive and negative numbers. Red cards are negative. Black cards are positive. Ace = 1 Queen = 12 2-10 = # King = 13 Jack = 11 Joker = 15 Nicole: The variation we add is that instead of cards being jus the face value, they are positive and negative numbers and players turn over two cards and perform an operation with the cards. Explain values.

Integer War Example 1 + (-6) = -5 (-10) + (-1) = -11 Nicole: For example, let’s play integer war with addition. Walk through example. If we are playing closest to zero, player 1 wins and takes all cards. If we are playing most negative, player two winds and takes all cards. The ultimate objective is still to get all the cards. Everyone get a partner and let’s play.

Game Theory Lure Occasion Feel of Fun Currency Feel of Understanding Safe Failure Jennifer: Generally, games give us a positive feeling. We are drawn to play them because they are something fun that we do not get to do every day. And, when you know a fun game, you have something you can share with others. Nicole: There is also a since of confidence that comes with understanding. Even if you are not a master of the skill, the rules of the game are something you understand. One of the best advantages of learning through games is that there is a safety in getting the wrong answer. Relate to integer war…

Games in Action Adults Nicole: Talk about playing with BASF new hire. With this group critical thinking is the primary goal. Here is an example game.

Multi-Operation Black Out Jennifer: This game is another variation on a common game. It is BINGO, but with all the numbers from 1 to 100. Nicole: In this game, players pair up and use dice to try to make all the numbers from 1-100. Talk through game play and send them to it.

Wrap Up Questions? Contact: nicole.tunmire@brazosport.edu

References Corwin, Z. B., Tierney, W. G., Fullerton, T., & Ragusa, G. (2014). Why games and social media?. Postsecondary Plan: The Role of Games and Social Media in Higher Education. Johns Hopkins University Press. Fullerton, T. (2014). What games do well. Postsecondary Plan: The Role of Games and Social Media in Higher Education. Johns Hopkins University Press. Salen, K. (2014). Game-like learning. Postsecondary Plan: The Role of Games and Social Media in Higher Education. Johns Hopkins University Press.