Matific: Teaching Math Intuitively Through Interactive Gaming (+ a Giveaway!)
By now you have probably settled into the school year. Orientations are over. If you are a teacher, classroom management structure has been established and now you are getting to know the abilities of the students. If you are a parent, you may be noticing your child struggling in certain areas now that they are in the thick of things. Particularly in math, it is critical that your child get the extra support he/she needs to succeed.
Why is math important?
Math along with subjects that support STEM initiatives has been a concern in U.S. education. A recent Pew Research Center report concluded that although math scores have improved significantly in the past two decades, the U.S. still falls in the middle amongst countries in math aptitude. In 2013, 35 percent of eighth grade students performed at or above the proficient level in mathematics. What are the possible consequences of this? Math is considered a cornerstone for learning critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and other vital intellectual skills to make proficient productive workers. However, it is projected that there will be a projected 1.2 million STEM jobs by 2018 that will remain unfilled as we currently don’t have the proficiency to fill them.
What is Matific?
Matific is a new math resource for grades K-6 that strives to provide versatile immersive math experiences for students. Available online as through mobile applications as well (both Android and iOS), Matific delivers episodes which consists of hands-on interactive games and challenges in specific math topics. In addition, a variety of worksheets are available along with the episodes to provide additional practice.
How does it help students?
Developed by mathematicians and educators, Matific is based on the idea of making math intuitive for students. It is designed to support math curriculums by providing spiraling activities that build from the fundamental to more higher order challenges. Students navigate through concepts on their own as positive feedback is delivered. Each grade level includes a comprehensive list of activities including arithmetic operations, measurement, geometry, data analysis, and even a more challenging area called “brain teasers” for the students who just want more. Most importantly, the episiodes are fun and all have a gaming element. My 5th grader likes how it turns concepts like division and fractions into fun play.
5th
I initially thought Matific was only going to be useful for my 5th grader, but my 2 year old actually loves playing the counting episodes in the Kindergarten module! This is a great tool in preparing students for kindergarten when you provided guided instruction.
beads
Parents who are interested in purchasing for your children can start with a 10-day trial. Membership options run in 3, 6, and 12 month increments starting at $18 or $36 annually. The price is very reasonable for what you are getting.
How can it help teachers?
Whether you are classroom teacher, assistant, or homeschool teacher, Matific is a great supplement to your instruction. Teachers can start with a FREE account and have students engage with the hands-on activities on the computer or mobile devices as a process activity or attention-getter for a lesson. With a teacher account, you have free access to all of the episodes, worksheets, tutorials, and teacher guides. In addition, you can upload a class list or invite students to your Matific account and track everyone’s progress. Populate performance reports for yourself, parents, or a math administrator in your building. You can even upgrade to a premium account and have each student access Matific at home. This may be a good supplement to a flipped classroom.
Now for a GIVEAWAY!
Are you interested in Matific? I am running a giveaway for the next two weeks for you to get a FREE annual account! You can have all of the episodes and worksheets, grades K-6, for your children to use for the entire year! Just enter below! A winner will be selected at random.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!
~Lani
Disclosure: I received a complimentary year membership to Matific to assist with this review. All of the opinions here are completely my own.