Math lessons with Pokémon Go are a huge success

The University of Iowa is introducing a new math course heavily involving Pokémon Go and there’s already a waitlist.

As video games evolve, respect and appreciation for the medium grows with it. With games such as Assassin’s Creed and others offering realistic historical experiences, it has become increasingly common for teachers to use video games in the classroom to help with different subjects.

However, the University of Iowa has taken it a step further and has now created a brand new course dedicated to helping students understand math through Pokémon Go.

The new course, which has been named Pokémath, combines math with gameplay elements from Pokémon Go in an effort to help students understand the material in a more engaging way.

Pokemath is a course at the University of Iowa that combines video games with math.

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The idea was first proposed by the course’s instructor, Kitrick Fynaardt. When asked to explain the logic behind combining Pokémon Go with math, Fynaardt had this to say about the design of Pokémaths.

“Finding a game that is both accessible and has this rich mathematical background, we haven’t found one as good as ‘Pokémon Go,'”

“It includes some walking,” Fynaardt added. “It’s not super intensive like video game stuff and sort of technical ability, and the fact that it was free was a huge plus.”

In addition, this new Pokémath course is in high demand. The first edition of the course, which is scheduled to take place during the spring semester, already has a waiting list and is at maximum capacity.

After all, Pokémon is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. Given this, it is no surprise that students quickly rushed to seize the opportunity to study the franchise in any capacity, much less a math course.

Given the interest it is already generating among students, time will tell whether this Pokémath program will become a permanent fixture in education and whether it will encourage other teachers to combine their lessons with a few video games to help to encourage students to register.