Online Math Game Lets Kids Learn at Their Own Pace

March 3, 2009— -- When shopping online at places like Amazon and Netflix, you may have noticed that the sites have an uncanny ability to make relevant recommendations for you based on what you've purchased before.

By using a similar recommendation engine, "DreamBox Learning K-2 Math," an online math game for kids ages 5-7, can watch how a child plays math games and provide new content according to what's observed.

"We've taken a recommendation engine and put it on steroids," said Sarah Daniels, vice president of marketing for DreamBox Learning.

The recommendation engine, patented as GuideRight technology, watches every motion the child makes while playing the game, and then adjusts on the fly to present kids with a math curriculum that is most appropriate for them. With more than 350 math activities to choose from, the game can present more than a million different paths.

Parents set up an account for their child by going to www.dreambox.com. The game can be tried for free for two weeks, and thereafter it costs $12.95 per month. If you buy a six-month subscription, the rate drops to $8.33 per month. A subscription is for one child, but sibling discounts are offered.

This game can be played online with no download, so that it can work on any computer with high-speed Internet access.

To start, the kids choose an avatar from 36 possibilities and then select one of four adventure themes that include dinosaurs, pirates, pets and pixies. An avatar is a cartoon that represents the children's virtual identity. Kids enter this cartoon world by moving along a path that resembles a game board, with each space representing a math activity.

At any time, kids have a choice of several different activities to explore, with all directions spoken out loud. As they play, the game constantly assesses their math knowledge, gaming ability, need for hints, and pace, and then presents a sequence of activities that is appropriate.

Not only does "Dreambox Learning" individualize a child's learning, but the math engages the child in building the correct solution, usually by using virtual math manipulatives. This game play is not about clicking on the right answer, but rather about making the right answer. For example, in one activity, kids will be asked to help build math flashcards.