NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Games have long played a role in classroom learning, but with Tabula Digita’s immersive DimensionU Learning System, serious game play has moved to the head of the class. The award-winning educational video game developer has announced that students have played more than two million immersive math and literacy games, boosting collaborative learning and improving test scores along the way.
“A growing number of educators realize that the DimensionU video games have been shown to develop a higher level of analytical problem solving skills for mathematics and a deeper understanding of essential literacy skills,” said Ntiedo Etuk, chief executive officer of Tabula Digita. “Our games not only convey a different perspective than students can get from a text book or even a lecture, but they also are getting students excited about learning mathematics and literacy.”
In all, DimensionU Games embed over 400 math and literacy skills in a multitude of 3D, interactive formats. DimensionU Games for math sport four distinct missions for students in grade three through 12. All the math games align to standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and all mathematics and literacy content is aligned to standards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Getting students engaged in mathematics and expanding their enthusiasm for the subject -- as well as science, technology, and engineering – is what President Obama hopes will take root with today’s digital generation of students; leading them to embrace and consider future careers in the “STEM” areas is vital to the nation’s 21st century economy.
“We believe the most impactful way to interest students in pursuing careers in these areas is to show them early on that math and science are not beyond their capabilities, that they can even be fun and rewarding,” said Etuk. “Educational video games are an effective, affordable, and proven way to do this, and the movement to embrace this solution is taking hold in schools across the country. Our company’s work with the Center for the Advancement of STEM Education (CASE) is a great illustration of that.”
Indeed, just two years ago, CASE used U.S. Department of Defense funds to purchase two-year licenses for Tabula Digita’s DimensionM for math video games to motivate and support student learning. The program started with 10 schools and has since expanded to 82 schools in 12 states (16,000+ students). The schools have responded so well that CASE is planning to expand into three to five new states as well as add new sites in current states this year.
Clearly, it’s working. Research studies demonstrating the academic gains that come as a result of game-based learning are impressive. A 2008 study from the University of Central Florida found that DimensionM gamers showed increases in achievement in math while a 2009 study by the University of North Carolina Wilmington found both increased achievement and, importantly, an improvement in gamers’ attitudes toward math.
However, mathematics is not the only game in town. Tabula Digita’s DimensionL instructional software for literacy introduces and reinforces such topics as language conventions, parts of speech, reading and writing processes, spelling, and vocabulary. Teachers will find the game’s content useful for concept introduction, enrichment, intervention and test preparation.
Etuk added, “Serious game play as a pedagogically effective teaching tool is here to stay. And even more exciting is the evidence that it’s flowing over into the home.”
As for expanding the number of elementary and middle school students playing educational math games, Tabula Digita is, for the first time, hosting the U Games National Scholarship Tournament. The virtual competition, co-sponsored by Intel and in partnership with Dell, began in November and runs through May 2011. Student players can join the competition at any time during the six-month event even if they did not participate in an earlier round by going to www.dimensionu.com/UGames. At the end of the virtual tournament, the top ten middle and elementary school players from each round will be eligible to attend the live U Games Tournament final event which will be held in New York City on May 21, 2011. Here, the middle school winner of the live competition will receive a $50,000 scholarship to be used towards the child’s college education, plus $1,000 cash. The elementary school winner of the live competition will receive a $10,000 scholarship and a family vacation for four to Disney World in Orlando.