Study On Primary Mathematics Educational Games Design Based On Flow Theory

With the rapid development of computer games and online games, more and more youngsters are indulging in them. In order to use of the attractiveness of computer games on young people rationally and play computer game's positive role on young people growing up, for the purpose of education, educational games was propound with the method of game. However, the original intention of educational games is good, the results are not satisfactory currently; many educational games are not balance in educational and gameplay, it is difficult to attract students that it can't bring students the physical pleasure and immersion experience in the game, so, neither the desired goals of education nor the idea of containing education in amusement.The ideas of educational games spring from online games, and one of the reasons why online games attracting young people is the flow experience in the game; putting the flow experience factors of online games into the design and development of educational games is useful for developing learner's favorite in educational games. This study focuses on how to make educational games to attract learners and brings learners the flow experience. Based on the flow theory and the characteristics analyzing of flow, the key element and the mechanisms of flow that brought by online games was analyzed using case analysis method, and the method was used to guide the game case design.The research background, content, methods and significance were introduced in Chapter1. Chapter 2 makes a review of educational games design based on flow theory at both home and abroad, and educational games and primary mathematics educational games are the main aspects. Flow theory and the characteristic of flow were researched, and the factor for flow was analyzed in a new way; the relationship of game and flow, primary mathematics educational games and flow was discussed.In chapter 3, the advantages and characteristics of online games were analyzed in detail, taking the most popular online game World of Warcraft for an example firstly; and a summary of how flow theory behind in the online game was given secondly; then the mechanisms of flow experience for online game design was analyzed, which include the game story design, character design, level design and interface design. The primary mathematics educational game's design idea and principle was proposed in chapter 4 based on the flow theory. And the design strategy of primary mathematics educational game was proposed with the guiding of flow factor of online game; an educational games was designed take the knowledge"find the location"in primary mathematics as the background, and the flow factor in the game was analyzed. In the end, a brief summary about the innovations and disadvantage in the paper was presented, what is more, the future research direction was predicted.