Introductory Course on the Instructional Gaming Program

 

Purpose

            This course is intended as a brief introduction to the Instructional Gaming Program using EQUATIONS: The Game of Creative Mathematics. The purpose is to familiarize teachers with the basic game and some of the ways it can be adapted to teach specific curriculum objectives in arithmetic, pre-algebra and algebra (grades 5-9). Descriptions of how EQUATIONS is used in classroom tournaments will be presented, however, this course is not intended as a comprehensive staff development program for implementation. In-depth development courses to accomplish that are usually conducted over a twelve-week period while teachers are simultaneously engaged in implementing the program in their classrooms. This introductory course serves as a way for teachers to familiarize themselves with the program prior to deciding whether to pursue more comprehensive certification.

 

Course Schedule and Mode of Delivery

            The course will involve three 90-minute sessions scheduled once-a-week in the evening for three consecutive weeks. The instruction will be provided via video conference. Course participants will need to have access to broadband internet sites for communication but do not all have to be in the same location. Manual copies of the games will be provided to each participant.

 

Methods and Outline

Session 1   “How to Play EQUATIONS”
                     Participants will be introduced to the basic game rules of EQUATIONS and how it is used in classroom tournaments as part of the curriculum. Course participants will then play the game online among themselves with oversight from the instructor.  Philosophy concerning the optimal use of competition and the teaching of higher order thinking and problem solving skills will also be presented.  Instructional Math Play Kits (IMP Kits) will be made available to participants for home use prior to the next session and a copy of the DVD “How to Play EQUATIONS” will be given to each participant.

 

Session 2    Preparation:   Participants should work through the 21 IMP Kits at home prior to the session.  (approximately 1½ hours)

 

                     Meeting:        Participants will be introduced to “4+ Scoring” – a method for focusing attention on the use of specific math concepts in the game and then will play online among themselves using 4+ Scoring with oversight from the instructor. At the end of the session, a particularly interesting match actually played by students will be presented to demonstrate the rapid degree of student assimilation of the 21 IMP Kits concepts when 4+ Scoring is used.

 

Session 3   .  Meeting:      Basic Adventurous EQUATIONS will be introduced and participants will play among themselves using 4+ Scoring and Basic Adventurous EQUATIONS. The full list of suggested Adventurous Rules will then be briefly discussed along with other methods of focusing the game on specific curriculum concepts (software programs and online tournaments). An overview of the comprehensive Professional Development Course on the Instructional Gaming Program will also be offered.

Course Instructors, Grants for Participants

 

            This course is conducted under the auspices of the Accelerated Learning Foundation (a non-profit corporation) which provides grants and certification for professional development courses on the Instructional Gaming Program. The course will be taught by Layman G  Allen (author of the Instructional Gaming Program Video Professional Development Course and co-author of the DIG Math Program and EQUATIONS Challenge Matches Program).

 

            Grants from the Accelerated Learning Foundation (ALF) will provide each course participant with free copies of the manual EQUATIONS game (normal retail cost $30 US), a set of the 21 IMP Kits (normal retail cost $30 US), and the “Learning to Play EQUATIONS” DVD (normal retail cost $10 US). The total grant from the ALF for each participant in this course is thus equivalent to $70 worth of materials. 

 

Cost

            The tuition cost for each participant is $95 US.

 

If you are interested in more information about courses for implementing the Instructional Gaming Progam please contact us and fill out and submit the form on that page.

 
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