When hearing about a math lesson, you might be concerned to hear about children being encouraged to play games. Yet these games are a common part of many elementary math programs, such as "Everyday Mathematics." Even high school students use games, such as cell phone apps that help with math reasoning and problem-solving skills in algebra.
Classroom games range from board games to those involving manipulatives or others that require mental interaction. As teaching tends to be more exploratory in earlier grades, most research has been conducted at the elementary level. However, studies such as the 2011 MIND Research Institute study of Houston-area schools showed gains on state tests across all grade levels, which were attributed to math games. Other studies, such as one published in 2011 in the "International Journal of Special Education," indicate that gains may be restricted to particularly targeted areas.
With the increased use of technology in education, many math games today are played like video games. Improvement in student math skills following use of computer-based or online games has been documented in preschool students by WestEd in January 2013, in non-American students by Learning and Teaching Scotland in 2008 -- which documented a 50-percent increase in a group that used these games compared to a control group that did not -- and more than double the improvement in math skills in students who used these games in a study by the University of Central Florida in 2008. A separate 2008 UCF survey of research at the high school level showed that video games had more positive results than other educational games.
While the research shows that both classroom and video games have a positive effect on assessed student math skills, there are also documented effects that have an indirect impact on student math skills and the ability for gains to be sustained. Muggins Math in 2004 cited studies indicating that students who play math games become more invested in learning and improve their general problem-solving techniques. Video games add both repetition and increased ability to work under timed testing conditions. Additionally, the MIND Research Institute determined in 2011 that math gains can come from teaching without words, which is achieved through games. For a variety of direct and indirect ways, research has shown that math games can lead to improvement in student math skills.