Conundra Math: a brain training number game for iPhone and iPad
Mindprint Rating
Tags
Skills
Mindprint Expert Review
Pros
- App does all the actual calculations for a student which eases some of the mental burden.
- The numbers are large and easy to read.
- Encourages students to think flexibly with numbers.
Considerations
- Students cannot receive hints or see the correct solution.
- The app does not make partial solutions easily visible to the player.
- The timer is large and begins counting down before the student can even start playing.
Mindprint Expert Review
This app is designed to help students improve their facility with numbers, but the problems can be challenging and there are no hints or solutions provided so it is not the right choice for most students. The free version has two levels of difficulty and the paid version has an extra expert level and no ads. All levels include a large number at the top of the screen, a 90 second timer counting down, a limited number of potential operands and the math symbols for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Students must use combinations of the numbers/operands to reach the target number within the 90 seconds. Each round includes five problems. The app calculates the partial solutions which is helpful, but students must mentally keep track of them since they disappear which is challenging. There is no option for hints and final solutions cannot be seen at the end of a round, only the student's actual answers. The app tracks the student's number of perfect games, average score, etc. but students might be frustrated because if a student leaves a game in the middle that counts as incorrect answers. In general, this is an app that is a lot of mental work for most children with little incentive. Furthermore, students cannot learn from their mistakes because they can never see the correct solution.
Academic Benefits
Improves academic skills
- Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
- Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
- Presents educational concepts accurately
- Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
- Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
- Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
- Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)
Fun
Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range
- Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
- Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
- Visually appealing to children in the target age range
- Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
- Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
- Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
- Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option
Easy to Use
Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range
- Has a free or trial version
- Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
- Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
- Student should be able to use independently after first use
- Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
- Multiple users can save a profile
- Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
- Can play without sound and not distract others
- Students can save work between sessions
- Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
- Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
- Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
- Overall - Easy to use
Cognitive Concerns
May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs
- Anxiety
- Student cannot spend as much time to calculate and check answers as needed
- Gives negative feedback (red X's, buzzer)
- A player's success depends on speed
- Timer cannot be hidden
- Turn or quiz abruptly ends when timer runs out
- Attention
- Shows advertisements
- Promotes purchases or upgrades to students
- Numerical Fluency
- Student cannot spend as much time to calculate and check answers as needed
- A player's success depends on speed
- Turn or quiz abruptly ends when timer runs out
- Requires multi-step mental math
- Self-regulation
- Shows advertisements
- Promotes purchases or upgrades to students
- Gives negative feedback (red X's, buzzer)
- A player's success depends on speed
- Turn or quiz abruptly ends when timer runs out
- Working Memory
- Student cannot spend as much time to calculate and check answers as needed
- Turn or quiz abruptly ends when timer runs out
- Requires multi-step mental math
Manufacturer Description
Great exercise for your brain!
Conundra Math is a simple number game that is surprisingly addictive. It's so easy to play: just combine the numbers you are given to make the target number at the top of the screen. You can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This simple challenge is a fantastic way to get faster at mental arithmetic, and to keep your brain in peak condition!
The stats page even lets you see how your performance varies over time and by time of day and day of the week. A fun way to find out when your thinking is sharpest!
Features:
• Five levels (three are free)
• Great exercise for your brain
• Tracks your scores over time
• Shows how performance varies by time of day
• Learn to do mental arithmetic fast!
• Great for students