New educational computer games that are pioneering new levels of collaborative learning in primary schools have been designed by a partnership between digital communications agency Redweb and global educational publishers Harcourt Education.
The software, part of the Abacus Evolve maths scheme published in the UK under the Ginn & Company imprint, has taken 18 months to develop in conjunction with experienced educationalists, teachers and pupils.
Redweb worked both on Talk Maths, collaborative software that calls for pairs of children to work together at a computer, and on Solve the Problem, problem-solving software in which children work in teams to resolve real life problems using their maths skills. Both pieces of software are used regularly as part of the Abacus Evolve maths scheme to enable pupils to develop specific abilities including reasoning, logic and communication.
Redweb’s multimedia designer David Burton was involved from the start and developed concepts for Ginn, produced prototype games and advised on user-friendly but challenging game play and devised a content delivery system for fast access by teachers and pupils.
Ginn’s in-house team completed the games in time to launch them at this year’s Education Show.
David said: “There has been an an encouraging response from schools around the UK because the package is so easy to use for both teachers and pupils. Some collaborative aspects of this package have never been doneon a computer before.”
Talk Maths actively involves both pupils and promotes co-operation between them on one computer to find a solution. It encourages a high level of talk and helps develop speaking and listening skills, and gives pupils regular experience of solving mathematical problems and discussing the strategies they are using.
The scheme’s predecessor, ‘Abacus’, is by far the most widely used maths scheme in England and is currently used by over 12,000 primary schools around the UK and signs are that most schools are very keen to buy in to the latest version.
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