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                           Analysis of the program "Mission Maths2 "

The program and its aims

      Mission Maths2 is designed for children aging from 8 to 13 years old. It is an educational program which aims to reinforce pupils’ knowledge of elementary mathematics, i.e. addition, subtraction,  multiplication, division, fractions, decimals and percentages. In order to attract pupils attention, it used graphic animation.

The activities

      Mission Math2 is programmed to help three personages to find a way to escape from a planet where they are kept prisoners. to do so, they have to find the secret of the Lost City which consists of four buildings, each of which represents an activity. The pupil can either choose to complete the mission which is proposed by the program by selecting "la Cité Perdue" in "Activité" or choose among the following activities independently:

• "Chasse aux Nombres":  In this activity, the elements of an equation are put in different rooms which are usually locked. The three personages, with different abilities to open doors (one can fly and push the buttons, another can drag the big rings and still another can stamp on the pieces of carpets), have to be moved to the right place to open doors and to pick up the elements of the equation and then put them in the correct order.
• "Le Tir aux Positions": In this activity, the pupil should calculate rapidly and then choose the correct number among three, which are carried by three ducks, to complete the equation in the lower part of the window. The personages should destroy the incorrect numbers with a cannon and at the same time take care not to be destroyed. To win, the pupil has to complete five correct equations before the Negtrons complete complete five incorrect ones.
• "Le Labyrinthe Fou": In this activity, the number limits are shown above the game. The pupil must be able to calculate very quickly and move one of the three personages to jump on five steps which bear correct equations, while taking care not to let the personage fall into an empty step or be killed by a monster.
• "Le Générateur d'Androïdes": In this activity the pupil is asked to create figures by selecting among three groups of elements. Each created figure should be different from the precedent. The number of the differences is shown in arrows.

The helps

      There is an on-line help in the mode of Windows which explains the functions and the the activities of the program and thus helps the pupil to handle the activities. It is rather like introductions than helps. If the pupil encounter an operating problem he can not find the corresponding solution. So it is better to read it before go directly into the activities.
       Besides the on-line help there is two kinds of calculator (standard and advanced) are at disposition which help the pupil to deal with mathematical problems. Whenever the pupil encounter a mathematical problem he can temporarily stop the activity and consult the calculator, and then go on with the activity.
       There are also some graphic forms which help the pupil know how well he has done, e.g. the green balls show the correct choices while the red ones show the wrong ones. But there are no correct response if the pupil commit an error.

The role of the teacher

       Within the limits of the classroom, the teacher can not use this program in class. He can only propose it to the pupil as an after-class material to reinforce what they have learned in class. To efficiently use the program, he can help the pupils by explaining the functions and the activities since the pupils will not be patient enough to read the on-line helps. By using the editor of problems he can also create more activities which will are more practical for the pupils and relevant to the in-class works.

Interests and limits

      Interests:
      The principal interest of the program lies in the activities which aim to reinforce pupils' mathematical knowledge, e.g. correct and rapid calculations, which is impressing in the activities.
      The program is presented in animation with the image of exploration on another planet in all its strangeness and mysteriousness, which attracts the attention of pupils.
      The activities are designed uniformly with the same personages in the first three activities, which give the impression that the three personages are trying to go through each of the buildings in order to find the secret of the Lost City which is the aim of the mission. The pupil is much attracted if he has final goal to achieve.
      The idea behind the program is very good and the animation and graphics are well done.

      Limits:
      There are too much animation in the program, which has the risque that the pupil will be likely to concentrate on playing the games. It is really very difficult to deal with the games and at the same time doing the calculation works.
      From the point of view of reinforcing pupils' mathematics, the first three activities are well done with the equations and numbers. But the fourth one is more likely training the pupil's observing and creating abilities than mathematical abilities.
      In the program there is no correct responses nor comments on the pupils' work.

Improvements

      It will be better if the program is presented in a simpler animation and the activities are easier to handle in order for the pupil to pay more attention on the mathematical problems. Besides the correct responses should be provided and some short comments should be offered on the pupil's work, which will help him to improve later.
      If the program is aimed only to reinforce pupils' mathematical knowledge, the last activity can be omitted.
 

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