NSF Awards Grant to WPI to Create Augmented Reality Math Games for Middle Schoolers

Ivon M. Arroyo, assistant professor of social science & policy studies, Erin Ottmar, assistant professor of social science & policy studies, and Kathi Fisler, professor of computer science, have been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) entitled "EAGER: Teaching Computational Thinking through Programming Wearable Devices as Finite State Machines."

 

This project uses cell phone technology and smartwatches to train middle school students in public schools in computational thinking and mathematics by creating augmented reality games with math related challenges.  This new genre of embodied technologies (mobile and wearable devices that involve motion and physical activity) will allow children to create augmented reality math games while also enable them to play each other's math games.  The project intends to advance scientific knowledge on how people learn, as it investigates how to teach mathematics and computing through game play and game design.