Examining the Efficacy of a Physical Board Game for Geometric Transformations

A group of Hong Kong secondary school mathematics teachers collaborated on the creation of a physical board game, “War of Transformation”, specifically designed to aid Hong Kong Secondary 1 students in applying transformation (i.e. translation, reflection, and rotation) of 2D figures, a topic in the local mathematics curriculum. The objective of the study was to delve into the game design and player experience from the viewpoint of the students as indicators of the effectiveness of the board game, comparing these elements across different abilities. A mixed-method design was adopted, from which data was gathered utilizing questionnaires and a focus group. The study involved a total of 102 junior form students secondary school students from three districts in Hong Kong, with a selected group of five students and three school teachers participating in interviews. The questions for the questionnaire and interviews were derived from the Model for the Evaluation of Educational Games. Quantitative data were used to provide an overview of student experiences, while qualitative data from the interviews provided further insights of the results. The findings revealed that students valued the game’s design and had a positive gaming experience, comparing these elements across different abilities The design of the board and the use of online teaching aids were found to significantly enhance gameplay and learning. This study highlights the potential of thoughtfully designed game-based learning in fostering effective and engaging learning experiences.