Investigating Students’ Sequence of Mathematical Topics in an Educational Game with a Curriculum Map

Abstract

Spiral curriculum is suitable for students’ ability development in a teacher-centered learning. In a sense, current textbooks adopt spiral curriculum because teachers need textbooks to teach their students. However, in a learner-centered learning, textbooks leave little space for students to monitor their own learning. For this reason, this study aims to design an educational game, Math Island, in which students may learn mathematics in their own paces according to their own ability. In the game, students play as a role of a city manager who needs to choose building plans and build their own building. When they build their city, actually they have to complete various learning tasks, which are designed from simple to complicated concepts. A preliminary finding suggests that students tended to carrying out learning tasks continuously instead of spirally. However, further investigation into students’ learning behaviors on Math Island should be conducted.