How Is Educational Gamification Represented in School Curriculum? An Investigation of Chinese Secondary Mathematics Textbooks

Lianghuo Fan (), Lingzhu Li, Qiuyu Chen and Na Li ()
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Lianghuo Fan: Asian Centre for Mathematics Education, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
Lingzhu Li: Asian Centre for Mathematics Education, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
Qiuyu Chen: Asian Centre for Mathematics Education, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
Na Li: Asian Centre for Mathematics Education, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Textbooks, as potentially implemented curriculum, play an important role in school education. Earlier studies in mathematics education revealed that teaching using mathematics games had a positive effect on students’ learning. However, how mathematics games are presented in mathematics textbooks has rarely been systematically examined. In this study, we aimed to investigate how mathematics games are presented in school mathematics textbooks in China. We selected three series of Chinese secondary mathematics textbooks (Grades 7–9) and identified 112 mathematics games in total; then, we coded and analyzed the games according to an analysis framework we established for the study. The results showed that, across the three series of textbooks, the distribution of games was inconsistent and, within the same series of textbooks, it was irregular across the different grade levels; in terms of locations and cognitive objectives, most games were presented as exercise questions and the main purpose was to improve students’ problem solving ability. Moreover, most of the games were single player games and there were slightly more competitive games than non-competitive games. The implications of the findings for the design and research of mathematics games in mathematics textbooks are discussed at the end of the study.

Keywords: educational gamification; Chinese mathematics education; textbook analysis; mathematics textbook; mathematics game (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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