Computer Games, Education and Interfaces: The E-GEMS Project

For the past six years the E-GEMS project has studied the design and use of computer games and activities for mathematics education in grades 4 to 8. Our research has involved researchers in education and computer science, professional game developers, teachers and thousands of children. The outcomes of this collaboration include a wide range of research studies as well as innovative prototype games and a successful commercial product. Our results demonstrate that games can be very effective in increasing both motivation and achievement in mathematics learning. They also pinpoint the critical importance of detailed elements of game design, the role of the teacher, and the integration of computer games with other forms of mathematics education. Finally our work has identified important differences, as well as similarities, in girls’ and boys’ interactions with games and computers. In this paper we highlight some of the recent E-GEMS work with particular attention to the aspects related to interfaces and HCI.