For the application of my media/technology checklist, I chose the math game Prodigy.  I will be looking at the game through a variety of lenses: SECTIONS, CSAM and CASCIOME.  While each of these criteria have their strengths, I feel that no one of them covers all of the bases that I value.

Prodigy is “an interactive and engaging adventure that helps build 1st to 8th grade math skills.”  The core belief being “to help every student in the world love learning”.  International curriculums are available (Canada, US, United Kingdom, Australia, India) which supports their slogan.

SECTIONS

Any student can create a free account or be added to a class by a teacher.  Parents can also create an account for their student/s.  Overall, the game is very easy to use, no informational training is needed in order to play the game as there is a guide provided.  Teachers are able to assign specific topics to students as well as assessments.  Data is provided for all students, showing three tiers of achievement and highlighting areas of struggle.  Students can interact via messages or chat with other players within or outside of the class, providing an asynchronous option.  Each class has a unique code which each student having a unique log in and password.  The site states that information is not shared.  The revealing of personal information is strongly discouraged within the game and chat.

CASCIOME

Students are able to customize their avatars which enables them to see themselves within the game.  From the gameplay that I experienced and observed, there is no real-world culture that shows prominence.  The world is that of fantasy and using math to beat creatures, which allows it to skirt around any social or political issues that may be of a sensitive nature.  Accessibility may become an issue as it can only be accessed online.  Motivation to play the game and advance in levels rather than work on the math skills could become a challenge.  This motivation would be key factor in the effectiveness of the program.

CSAM

Prodigy can be accessed on any device that has an internet connection, which means it can be played anywhere at anytime.  Student’s participation could be either active or passive depending on their engagement.

References

Bates, A. W. (2015). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. Vancouver, BC: Tony Bates Associates. ISBN-13: 978-0-9952692-1-7

Patsula, P.  (2002) Practical guidelines for selecting media:  An international perspective The Usableword Monitor, February 1.  Accessed on October 15, 2021.

Power, R. (2013). Collaborative Situated Active Mobile (CSAM) learning strategies: A new perspective on effective mobile learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 10 (2), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.18538/lthe.v10.n2.137 (CC BY 3.0)

Schrock, K. (2018). Critical evaluation of information. Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything. Retrieved from http://www.schrockguide.net/critical-evaluation.html