How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by Andrew Barrett -
Number of replies: 6

Hi All,


We'd like our students to work on improving their maths fluency and general number sense with some quick-fire multiplication drills. Is there an option in moodle for this that I am missing?


It seems to me that the lag time on the moodle as it pulls from the question bank is not conducive to this. It generally refreshes the whole page which takes a second or two whereas ideally we'd want the response to be almost instant for this particular activity.


Does anyone have any suggestions? Work arounds? Solutions?


Thanks in advance.


Andrew

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In reply to Andrew Barrett

Re: How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by Matt Bury -
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Hi Andrew,

Is this the droid you're looking for? https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?id=26

BTW, extensive use of drilling activities tends to put most learners off math over time. Use them sparingly and with caution. I think a good strategy is to make them optional and available as extra practice in support of higher-order learning objectives, e.g. to solve a real-world problem.

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In reply to Matt Bury

Re: How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by Andrew Barrett -

Thanks for the response Matt. I heed your caution of over-drilling students. What we'd like to do is a 5-10 minute refresher at the start of each lesson that is drill-like and reinforces general number sense. In our context, we're dealing with students who are far behind where they should be and still struggling with basic fluency such that when they're presented with a more complex question, the cognitive load of also trying to "work-out" multiplication sums and grasp a new concept is creating a significant barrier. 


We've seem WIRIS before and it's great but what I'm really looking for is a speedy response like in a flash-based multiplication game or on sites like Khan Academy. We need to be able to customize the range of content though. I hope I'm making some sense.

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In reply to Andrew Barrett

Re: How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by Derek Chirnside -

@Matt

What's your opinion of the old Space Invaders like maths games?  If you are too young or this, I can elaborate.  Mamatheka

-Derek

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In reply to Derek Chirnside

Re: How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by Matt Bury -
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Hi Derek,

I haven't read any research specifically about this so I can only go on my own experience of arcade game style "edugames."

I've observed both adults and children playing them. For the majority of learners on both counts, adults find them amusing initially but soon grow impatient with them: too easy or too difficult or they don't feel that they're learning anything purposeful or significant. Children tend to like the games but feel that the learning objectives get in the way. They just want to play space invaders or whatever game it is.

Personally, i think they're not particularly motivating for learning and not particularly efficient or effective... ...more like edutainment?

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In reply to Andrew Barrett

Re: How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by Matt Bury -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

Dan Meyer's a guy who seems to have a lot of relevant insights and helpful advice about learning and teaching basic math: http://blog.mrmeyer.com/

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In reply to Matt Bury

Re: How to create quick fire multiplication drills?

by dawn alderson -

Hi,

just some thinking...

There are a number of edugames out there eh, and I do agree the ILO can get in the way-as well as the repetitive nature of the software, kids can switch off quickly.

From what I know, this sounds like an oppt for developing a learning sequence (s)- (practice)-a trajectory that includes progression/continuity:

so, number bonds/add/subtract/division/multiplication/inverse

Something that involves survival (plot) is always a winner-Space Invaders is a nice example-real world probs-mmmm....totally appt for curriculum outcomes but boring for kids to be honest (the more fantasy/blended with real-world objects not situations-the better).

I think simple number configs relating to the above trajectory that are hidden by very simply designed icons-with an interesting plot....and of course a score-card of sorts is all that is needed-the fancier the more elaborate is not always a winner with kids, imho.  Rationale, something that looks like and functions like what they might have thought up themselves-so basic cause and effect, they will buy into. And of course next step platform for them to make up their own games with sums to enable consolidation!

D


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