Abstract:

The paper present an example of applying gamification in an open lesson in mathematics in the first level of primary education (1-4 grade) in Bulgaria. The lesson was developed and implemented in Primary school "Hristo Botev" - Elin Pelin, concerning activities on the project "Your lesson" funded by the Operational Program "Science and education for smart growth" 2014-2020 of Ministry of Education and Science in Bulgaria. The lesson concerns the project activities related to the parents participation in class. Knowledge and skills presented in the lesson are intended for 3 grade of primary education. The main objective of the lesson is to increase the interest and motivation of students in study mathematics, which is also one of the main goals of the project.

The paper includes short overview of gamification and its application in education. The structure of presented lesson is described and applied game mechanisms are explained. The lesson is structured as a travel in time. It begins with a short introduction that includes overview of main groups of mathematical knowledge and skills that students possess in 3 grade of primary education – such as counting, calculating, measuring, comparing, recognize and drawing figures etc. The lesson continues with a discussion of the application of this knowledge in our daily lives and what will happen if we didn’t possess it. Through this discussion it came to question "What will happen if there is no mathematics? If those knowledge disappear, who will we be then? What will we lose?". In this way we turn the process and all the benefits of our daily lives related to mathematical knowledge, listed in discussion, disappear and we go back in time and become a prehistoric man. He is our main hero, who will travel, to the different places. These are a few specific places related to the history and development of mathematics - Ancient Egypt, Ancient Babylon, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient East and Medieval Europe. They are marked on the world map and the hero passes through them. In this travel in each place visited he will have to overcome different challenges. The challenges are related to the corresponding stage and the place where is the hero and the historical development of mathematical knowledge in this period. For each won challenge the hero will receive a reward. When passing to the next stage / place of the journey the hero will evolve, depending on new mathematical knowledge that is acquired. The used game mechanisms in the lesson are specified in the paper. They are related to the use of: character/ hero, introduction, stages, map to go through stages, including a challenges, receiving rewards, evolving the character.

The paper presents in details the whole lesson with description of different challenges in each stage, character/hero development, type of rewards and its application in the end of lesson.

The paper includes a section with results of the lesson, where are described the reactions of the students, their participation in class, their involvement in activities and mood and spirit during the lesson. It is also considered possibilities for future development and improvement of the lesson. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of such type of lessons, and application of gamification in education is also made.

Keywords:

Gamification in education, mathematics lesson example for primary education, primary education (1-4 grade).