Playtime with Mathematical Figures: Education Inspired by Nature

Abstract

In recent years, the rapid advancements in internet and computer hardware have paved the way for the exploration and adoption of new learning techniques in the field of education. In this context, innovative applications, materials, games, and animations play a significant role in enhancing students' critical thinking, ability to make connections, and comprehension skills. These endeavors not only aim to transfer knowledge to students but also make the learning process more effective by assisting them in understanding and grasping subjects more deeply. In our developed study within this context, a game has been designed with the goal of strengthening mathematical thinking skills by leveraging the mathematical figures found in nature, in line with the progress in educational technologies. The content of the game is shaped with three main objectives in mind. The first objective is to introduce users to mathematical figures in nature, enabling them to establish a connection between mathematics and nature. This way, students may be more motivated to learn abstract mathematical concepts by associating them with concrete examples. The second objective is to draw attention to global issues through the mathematical figures used in the game. Thus, students, while practicing mathematical thinking, will also develop awareness of global issues and gain a broader perspective. The third objective is to stimulate students to engage in mathematical applications by capturing their interest in the mathematical figures addressed within the game. This ensures that the learning process goes beyond mere acquisition of knowledge, allowing students to actively apply what they have learned.

The game is designed using the Unity game engine, a digital game design application, to be suitable for 6th-grade students in middle school, consisting of a group of 15 individuals. The effectiveness of the studt is assessed through surveys and semi-structured interviews conducted with the target audience after the implementation. This evaluation process will provide valuable data to understand the impact of the study on students and identify areas that need improvement. Thus, the goal of making mathematics learning processes more effective and engaging through educational technologies can be achieved more closely.