Learning multiplicative reasoning by playing computer games

This paper reports about a large-scale longitudinal field experiment investigating the
effects of online mathematics mini-games on second- and third-graders’ multiplicative
reasoning abilities. The study included students in regular primary education (n = 719)
and special primary education (n = 81). There were three experimental conditions:
playing multiplicative mini-games at school, at home, and at home with debriefing at
school. In the control condition mini-games on other mathematical topics were played
at school. For regular primary education, results showed that the mini-games were
most effective in the home-school condition, where they promoted both multiplicative
skills and insight (significant ds ranging from 0.22 to 0.29). In the school condition, an
effect was only found for insight in Grade 2 (d = 0.35); in the home condition there
were no effects. In special primary education, a significant effect was found for the
school condition in improving multiplicative fact knowledge (d = 0.39).