Attach me and detach me: an interactive device to help to teach algebra

Abstract

Even though the digital age is so advanced around the globe, nowadays Mexico does not have necessary conditions for any institution to use fully automated tools. Disadvantages such as poor infrastructure, lacking computers, and inadequate internet access are some of the most common obstacles that do not allow for the most of the Mexican educational institutions to use automated techno-pedagogical strategies. In this work, we propose a semi-automated tool, based on tangible user interfaces and apply gamification, for teaching algebra. The major challenge of this project is the context of use, where the proposal was initially valued using statistical experimental designs through a hypothesis test and a regression analysis. In both, a longitudinal study with two measures at different times of a related sample, composed of 19 students, is considered. In the hypothesis test the difference between the before and after of application of an instructional design with the game management through the gamified board was contrasted, obtaining as a result that the average in the ability to solve problems in the pre-test is of 0.1184 and in the post-test of 0.5586, therefore, the difference between means, before and after the instructional design allows to accept the hypothesis that if there are changes in the ability to solve problems of algebra, before and after the use of the gamified board. The regression analysis allows us to state that 16.9% of the ability to solve algebra problems can be influenced by the number of activities that the student performs with the gamified board.