Making Learning Effective on Smart Mobile Online Educational Games

Puzzle game continues to be a popular mobile game genre in 2023. Popular pattern-matching non-educational puzzle games like Candy Crush Saga, Bejeweled and Toon Blast with their simple gameplay, intuitive interface and colourful graphics are found to be quite addictive for both young and old as there are always challenges and rewards at every level of the game. To capitalise on the success of these pattern matching non-educational puzzle games, using the pattern matching game mechanics in educational game is therefore an attractive idea. We modified the Toon Blast game to create SmashingPatterns, a pattern matching educational puzzle game to teach Mathematics (linear equations). We evaluated the learning effectiveness of using SmashingPatterns by a control experimental study involving a group comprising twenty students who use SmashingPatterns instruction and a control group of twenty students who receive the classroom-based PowerPoint instruction. Both groups take the assessment test before and after their instructions. The results showed we managed to prove the learning experience hypothesis set out for this study. However, there is no significant evidence that learning is effective using the SmashingPatterns instruction. In conclusion, using learning content from classroom activities together with popular pattern-matching game mechanics can be a successful combination for learning.