Tabula Digita's DimensionM(TM) Educational Video Games Found to Have Significant,...

Tabula Digita's DimensionM(TM) Educational Video Games Found to Have Significant, Positive Effect on Student Math Achievement

University Of Central Florida Research Shows Considerable
Improvement in Achievement Scores and Student Motivation When Using
Algebra Video Game Software
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Seventh graph, second sentence of release should read: However,
students who played the games demonstrated greater gains - 8.07 points
versus 3.74 - compared to the control group (sted However, students
who played the games demonstrated greater gains - 8.07 points versus
3.74 (out of 25 points) - compared to the control group).

The corrected release reads:

TABULA DIGITA'S DIMENSIONM(TM) EDUCATIONAL VIDEO GAMES FOUND TO
HAVE SIGNIFICANT, POSITIVE EFFECT ON STUDENT MATH ACHIEVEMENT

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH SHOWS CONSIDERABLE
IMPROVEMENT IN ACHIEVEMENT SCORES AND STUDENT MOTIVATION WHEN USING
ALGEBRA VIDEO GAME SOFTWARE

Immersive educational video games can improve students'
mathematics understanding and skills, and significantly raise scores
on district-wide math benchmark exams. These new research findings,
using Tabula Digita's DimensionM(TM) simulation software, come from
scholars at the University of Central Florida who investigated the
effects of modern math computer games on learners' math achievement
and math course motivation in public high school settings.

"These research results are remarkable and support previous
studies which have concluded that interactive games are more effective
on learners' cognitive gains than traditional classroom instruction
alone," said Ntiedo Etuk, CEO and co-founder of Tabula Digita. "We are
teaching a new generation of students, which requires unconventional
teaching strategies be put into practice in the classroom. And when
schools use our games, the student benefits speak for themselves - a
greater desire to learn and higher test scores."

The studies included all three interactive titles from the
DimensionM series. In the games, key objectives are covered through a
series of highly immersive action adventure missions. The educational
video games contain three dimensional graphics, sound, animation and
storylines comparable to those in popular video games.

The Study

The study, conducted by a team of faculty and graduate students at
the University of Central Florida led by Atsusi Hirumi, Ph.D., sought
to answer the questions: What effects does game play have on the
student academic achievement; in mathematics what effects does game
play have on student math course motivation, and do differences in
prior knowledge, computer experience and language background affect
student math attitudes and achievement.

The qualitative and quantitative research used experimental and
control groups to test their hypotheses. The findings, which yielded
statistically valid results, were based on a sample size of 193
algebra and pre-algebra students and 10 math teachers from Orange
County, Florida. Evaluations included pre- and post-district benchmark
exams, game preparation tests, motivational surveys, classroom
observations and personal interviews.

Results

Students in the experimental group who played the Tabula Digita
video games over an 18 week period scored significantly higher on
district math benchmark tests than students in the control group who
did not play the video games (p less than .001). In fact, the increase
in scores for the test group was more than double the increase in
score for the control group.

Students in both the experimental and control groups demonstrated
gains from pre-test and post-test on the district benchmark exams.
However, students who played the games demonstrated greater gains -
8.07 points versus 3.74 - compared to the control group. The higher
achievement scores and greater gain scores on the district benchmark
tests by students who played the games are particularly significant
because there is a high correlation between the district's math
benchmark tests and the statewide math component of Florida's
Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

Participants Comments

Teacher and student interviews supported the quantitative
findings. The majority of the interviewed teachers (4 of 5) and
students (15 of 15) reported that the participants' mathematics
understandings and skills improved as a result of playing the
educational video games.

According to the teachers, the games were effective teaching and
learning tools because they were experiential in nature, offered an
alternative way of teaching and learning, gave the students reasons to
learn mathematics to solve the game problems and progress in the
games. The teachers also commented that the games help to address
student's math phobias and increased time on task. As one teacher
states, "It (the games) makes them want to learn (math)."

According to the students, the games were effective because they
combined learning and fun, offered mathematics in adventurous and
exploratory context and challenged students to learn math.

"The traditional view of video games has been that they are
distractions from the task of learning," said Etuk. "But this research
clearly shows the opposite is true. These wonderful new learning tools
are opening a whole new world for students and the education market at
large."

Additional Findings

A number of important issues regarding the integration of games in
school settings also emerged from the findings. To use the games
effectively, the researchers found that teacher training and focusing
on the integration of the games is essential for enhancing student
learning. However, teachers do no necessarily need to know how to play
each game. The research showed that students are very adept at
figuring out how to play the game on their own and even go one step
further by helping each other master the game mechanics. Additionally,
access to the games from home, at community centers and libraries, as
well as in classrooms and computer labs before and after school may
optimize use.

For more information about Tabula Digita and its DimensionM
educational video games, please go to www.DimensionM.com. For the
complete research report, visit www.DimensionM.com/research

About Tabula Digita

Tabula Digita is an educational video game company focused on
delivering innovative and effective educational games to students and
institutions. Through its fusion of education and technology-based
immersive learning systems, Tabula Digita successfully offers
standards-based, high impact educational tools that engage middle and
high school students in learning and applying Pre-Algebra and Algebra
I concepts. For more information, please call 1-888-9-Tabula or
1-888-982-2852, or visit www.DimensionM.com.

For Tabula Digita
Eicher Communications Inc.
Charlotte Andrist, 770-578-8007
Charlotte@EicherCommunications.com
or
University of Central Florida
Atsusi Hirumi, Ph.D, 407-823-1760
Associate Professor & Co Chair
Instructional Technology
hirumi@mail.ucf.edu

Copyright Business Wire 2008