De Wet, LizetteVerkijika, Silas Formunyuy2015-10-272015-10-272015http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1440English: South Africa currently faces a huge shortage of mathematics skills, a problem commonly referred to as the “math crisis”. Researchers in South Africa have attributed the growing “math crisis” to the lack of cognitive functions among learners. However, existing solutions to address the problem have overlooked the role of cognitive functions in improving mathematics aptitude. Moreover, even though cognitive functions have been widely established to have a significant influence on mathematics performance, there is surprisingly little research on how to enhance cognitive functions (Witt, 2011). Consequently, this study had as primary objective to explore the impact of a BCI-based mathematics educational game as a tool for facilitating the development of cognitive function that enhance mathematics skills in children. The choice of a BCI-based solution for enhancing cognitive functions stems from recent neuroscience literature that highlights the potential of BCIs as tools for enhancing cognitive functions. Existing neuroscience, psychological and mathematical education research have established a number of cognitive functions (working memory, inhibitory control, math anxiety, and number sense) that affect mathematics education. This study combined these existing paradigms with the BCI device to provide a technological solution for enhancing the basic cognitive functions that foster mathematics learning. Following these assertions, a BCI-based mathematics educational game was developed taking into account the target population (children from the ages from 9-16) and the important role of digital educational games in improving education (in this case mathematics education in particular). Using a within-subjects short-term longitudinal research design, this study established that a BCI-based mathematics educational game could be used to significantly enhance four basic cognitive functions (working memory, inhibitory control, math anxiety, and number sense). These four cognitive functions have been widely acknowledged as significant fundamental aspects of mathematics education. As such, adopting such a technological solution in South African schools can go a long way to address the current “math crises” by enabling educators and learners to address the issue of low cognitive functions. This study culminated with practical recommendations on how to address the “math crisis” in South Africa.Afrikaans:Suid-Afrika word tans gekonfronteer met ‘n groot tekort aan wiskundige vaardighede ˗ ‘n probleem wat as die wiskunde-krises (“math crisis”) bekend staan. Navorsers in Suid-Afrika het die wiskunde-krises toegeskryf aan die tekort aan kognitiewe funksies in leerders. Bestaande oplossings het egter die rol van kognitiewe funksies in die verbetering van wiskundige aanleg, afgekeep. Alhoewel kognitiewe funksies wyd erken word in terme van die die belangrike invloed wat dit op wiskundige prestasie het, is daar verrassend min navorsing gedoen oor hoe om kognitiewe funksies te verbeter (Witt, 2011). Gevolglik het hierdie studie, as primêre doelwit, om die impak van ‘n opvoedkundige speletjie, gebaseer op ‘n brein-rekenaar koppelvlak (BRK), as hulpmiddel vir die fasilitering van die ontwikkeling van kognitiewe funksies wat die wiskundige vaardighede in kinders te verbeter. Die keuse van ‘n BRK-gebaseerde oplossing om kognitiewe funksies te verbeter, het ontstaan uit onlangse neuro-wetenskaplike literatuur wat die potensiaal van BRKe as hulpmiddels om kognitewe funksies te verbeter, uitlig. Bestaande neuro-wetenskaplike-, fisiologiese- en wiskundige opvoedingsnavorsing het ‘n paar kognitiewe funksies (werkende geheue, beperkende beheer, wiskunde angs en syferwaarneming) wat wiskundige opvoeding affekteer, daargestel. Hierdie studie kombineer die bestaande paradigmas met die BRK-toestel om ‘n tegniese oplossing om die basiese kognitiewe funksies wat wiskunde opvoeding behels, te voorsien. Gebaseer op hierdie bewerings is ‘n BRK wiskundige opvoedkundige speletjie ontwikkel wat die teikenpopulasie (kinders tussen die oudersomme van 9 en 16) en die belangrike rol van digitale opvoedkundige speletjies in die verbetering van opleiding (in hierdie geval spesifiek wiskunde opleiding) in ag neem. Deur ‘n binne-deelnemer (“within-subjects”) korttermyn verlengde navorsingsontwerp te volg het hierdie studie ‘n wiskundige opvoedkundige speletjie daargestel wat gebruik kan word om vier basiese kognitiewe funksies (werkende geheue, beperkende beheer, wiskunde angs en syferwaarneming) merkwaardig te verbeter. Hierdie vier kognitewe funksies word wyd erken as fundamentele aspekte in wiskundige opvoeding. Deur ‘n tegnologiese oplossing in Suid-Afrikaanse skole aan te neem kan dus ‘n groot bydrae lewer om die bestaande wiskunde-krises aan te spreek deur opvoeders en leerders in staat te stel om die aspek van lae kognitiewe funksies te addresseer. Deel van hierdie studie se einddoel was dus ook praktiese aanbevelings oor hoe om die wiskunde-krises in Suid-Afrika aan te spreek.enBrain mappingGames in mathematics educationEducational gamesBrain-computer interfacesDissertation (M.Sc. (Computer Science and Informatics))--University of the Free State, 2015DissertationUniversity of the Free State