Despite potential struggles students may face in the mathematics classroom, students tend to enjoy, and succeed at, a variety of electronic games that require relatively advanced mathematics. On top of this, many electronic games develop mathematical skills in players. By incorporating gamification elements and associated technologies in the classroom, instructors can increase students' engagement, reduce mathematical anxiety, and open a vast array of effective tools to describe complex mathematical concepts in unique and effective ways.

This presentation will describe mathematical principles commonly involved in playing electronic games, and will give examples of software, and classroom activities, that can enhance the teaching of mathematics by harnessing students’ enthusiasm for technology and games. A demonstration of some gamification tools will also be given.

Bio:

Alexander Gurevich is a mathematics professor at Humber College. He completed his Bachelors of Mathematics, Physics Option, at the University of Waterloo, and his PhD in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Fluid Dynamics, at De Montfort University, UK. Alexander has been teaching mathematics, physics, and computer programming since 2003, and in recent years has been designing educational games with a focus on mathematics. Since 2009, Alexander has been engaged in research and development, primarily in the nuclear energy industry. This work includes developing a mathematical model of the space-time evolution of turbulent structures, developing statistical data analysis and signal processing algorithms, and studying the effect of flow conditions on flow measurement instrument performance. His current research interests include mathematics education, gamification, fluid dynamics, and earth and space science.