Degree of motivation and acquisition of visuospatial perception after the incorporation a video game in the learning of mathematical knowledge

Heliyon. 2022 Aug 18;8(8):e10316. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10316. eCollection 2022 Aug.

Abstract

The aim objective of this study was to analyze the incorporation procedure for the Portal 2 video game in the subject Mathematical Knowledge in Early Childhood Education. Two specific objectives were proposed: (a) to consider whether the inclusion of a video game is a motivating educational resource, and (b) to determine the degree of knowledge related to visuospatial perception acquired through interaction with the video game. A total of 170 students from the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Cádiz participated in this study. Three variables were analyzed: the use of the video game as a resource, the degree of motivation towards mathematics-related learning, and the acquisition of visuospatial skills. The results show that the students affirmed the video game's suitability as a learning resource, although as a supplementary resource to the dynamics of the subject, highlighting the strong motivational factor and the set of knowledge acquired.

Keywords: Mathematics; Motivation; Spatial perception; Video games.