Humans have an ability to understand calculations through intuition. This is also an attribute of animals. Some math problems can be solved instinctively. A recent game by Johns Hopkins University has been created to measure how much this instinctive ability for mathematics effects the ability of a student to learn.
A Johns Hopkins game measures students intuitive mathematical abilities.
The game shows students two groups of objects without an indication of exact number in each group. The students then are tasked with guessing which group has more of the object inside of it. After playing the game the students were tested and the results showed that students who advanced in the game benefitted from playing it.
We used a five-minute game to change kids’ math performance,” says Jinjing “Jenny” Wang, a graduate student in psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University. “It’s not only changeable, it can be changeable in a very short period of time,” adds Wang, whose findings are published online by the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert
Key takeaways
- Children benefit from playing math themed games.
- Brief games make math more fun.
- The link between brief games and education may not be long lasting.
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