Critical App Review 

 

 

 Sushi Monster

 

Curriculum Connection: 4

The Common Core State Standards that are related to this app are the following:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.OA.A.1 - Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.3 - Use multiplication and division within 100 to solve word problems in situations involving equal groups, arrays, and measurement quantities, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.A.4 - Determine the unknown whole number in a multiplication or division equation relating three whole numbers.

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.OA.B.5 - Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide

 

The skills reinforced in Sushi Monster are strongly connected to the targeted skill or concept of addition and multiplication fact fluency for grades 1st – 5th. This app serves to meet CCSS in that students engage in an activity that gives them the opportunity to practice, reinforce, and even extend their math fact fluency. Students are also appropriately challenged to develop reasoning skills by helping the monsters achieve a target sum or product that will aid them in meeting the app’s target skills or concepts.

 

Authenticity: 2

Although the concept of addition and multiplication can be applied in a realistic situation, this app seeks to meet the targeted skills or concepts by presenting the opportunity to practice skills in a contrived game/simulation format. I believe we can all agree that students will never realistically have to help a monster choose the correct plate of sushi that is the sum or product of his desired amount. However, parents and teachers could extend the use of this app by asking the student to reflect on a situation in which they have to use similar skills as in this app (e.g.- baking with ingredients).  

 

Feedback: 2

Despite of the fun and engaging simulation of Sushi Monster, feedback is limited to the correctness of student responses and the app does all students to try again. As I explored this app, I noticed that there is no explicit feedback for students whether they get the answer right or wrong. The only direct feedback that is given is when students no longer have any options to meet the monster’s desired sum or product or if they are moving to another level. Students have to infer that they have provided an incorrect sum or product by watching to see if the monster eats the food or not. This can create a barrier in learning experience for some students in that they are not able to hear feedback.

 

Differentiation: 2

In regards to differentiation, Sushi Monster provides very little flexibility to adjust settings to meet student needs. The only main differentiation provided is the choice of whether to practice addition or multiplication skills and even in that case it cannot be further modified to grade level or skill level. In the actual settings section of the game, the option provided are to limited to the audio, timer, and if a reset is desired. 

 

User Friendliness: 3

Sushi Monster is a moderately high user-friendly app. Students are able to enter the app independently and be able to decided to play practicing with addition or multiplication strategies, but it does not provide help unless sought for in the ‘Help’ section of the app. Therefore, I believe that if used in the classroom and even in at home, parents or teachers should review with students the purpose and objective of the game. The gradual approach is probably a great method to using this app. 

 

Student Motivation: 4

Despite of Sushi Monster’s lack of authenticity and differentiation, I believe that students, especially boys, would be highly motivated to use this app and select it as their first choice from a selection of related choices of apps. This app is very engaging in that it has audio related to the game and bright colors to keep students focused. There is also a timer (can be turned on or off) that encourages the aspect of competitiveness, which a lot of students like. 

 

Reporting: 1 

Sushi Monster does not provide or contain a summary page for teachers or caregivers to check student progress. The app directly gives you inexplicit feedback throughout the game, but unfortunately there is no way for one to explicitly see the problems asked ad how students did other than what level they are currently on.

 

 

Note: Ratings of this app is on scale of 1 to 4, with 4 being the highest and 1 being the lowest.

This review was created by Harry Walker of John Hoopkins University and edited, with permission, by Kathy Schrock. 

To locate review, click on the following link: http://www.ipads4teaching.net/uploads/3/9/2/2/392267/ipad_app_rubric.pdf