E-Brock Bugs is a free online educational computer game that seeks to teach its users basic probability concepts in a personalized, interactive, animated and fun way.
About the E-Brock Bugs© Computer Game
After selecting one of six possible in-game identities, players begin their journey to save Bug City from an evil band of Bullies who are controlled from afar by the all powerful Dr. P. To do this, players must work their way through six different districts, each of which entails a new environment, game and Bully. Along the way, players meet an interesting cast of characters, including their guide, Bugzy, and Smarty, the extremely intelligent bug who has developed the theory behind each Bully’s scheme. E-Brock Bugs was designed and implemented keeping in mind the principles of an epistemic video game (Devlin, 2011), and with the goal that players will develop their ability to think mathematically, either independently or with the aid of prompts.
NOTE: Before playing, go here: https://ruffle.rs/#downloads and install a free-source add-on Flash Player to FireFox or Chromebook browser. Then come back here to E-Brock Bugs!
In this first version of E-Brock Bugs, you CANNOT save your work: after exiting the game, you have to start at the beginning and, in order to rescue Bug City, defeat all the Bullies again… so, just don’t turn off your computer until you’ve rescued Bug City! Oh, and it might take you about 2 hours to get to save Bug City.
Since the beginning of time, Bug City had been a peaceful place to live, where even the simplest of bugs felt right at home. Then, one day, the city was invaded by an evil band of Bullies that is controlled from afar by the all powerful Dr. P. Each of the six districts that make up the city was quickly transformed into a wasteland; what was once lively and bright now stood cold in the darkest of shades. But, the situation is not entirely hopeless, for the player of E-Brock Bugs is the hero that Bug City has been waiting for!
Devlin, K. (2011). Mathematics education for a new era: Video games as a medium for learning. Natick, Massachusetts: A K Peters, Ltd.
E-Brock Bugs© Laura Broley, Chantal Buteau, Eric Muller, 2013
E-Brock Bugs Teacher Document: Created to help teachers explore, understand and implement E-Brock Bugs in an effective and efficient way, this document contains a suggested exploration of the game, a detailed description of the mathematics involved, the didactical philosophy that guided the design, suggestions for implementation, and more.
E-Brock Bugs ‘Unlocked’ Teacher Version: In this version of E-Brock Bugs made specifically for teachers, you have immediate access to all sections necessary to gain a general understanding of the game, with the hope that you will be able to become acquainted with the game and plan your implementation in a much more efficient manner. Note that you will need to request a password to access this version of E-Brock Bugs. Click here to read the Software License Agreement and Disclaimer.
E-Brock Bugs ‘Unlocked Finale’ Classroom Version: In this version of E-Brock Bugs made specifically for teachers who implement the game in their classrooms, you have immediate access to the Finale of the game. Usually, one would need to save all six districts before coming to the Finale. But since one cannot save his or her game progress (not yet; hopefully in the future!), we make this version accessible to you to be shared with your students (make them play all other districts first using the regular E-Brock Bugs version!). Contact us to request a password to access this version of E-Brock Bugs. Be aware that this version will not invite the players to join the Hall of Fame even when defeating Dr. Pi; for this, one needs to save Bug City from the regular game. Click here to read the Software License Agreement and Disclaimer.
E-Brock Bugs Password Request
- Muller, E, Broley, L., & Buteau, C. (submitted): Reflections by three generations of mathematicians, creators of the computer game E-Brock Bugs: struggles and growth in mathematics education. Under review.
- Broley, L, Buteau, C., & Muller, E. (2015). The E-Brock Bugs computer game: What if becoming a (better) mathematician was a fun-filled adventure?. Ontario Mathematics Gazette, 53(3), 27-32.
- Broley, L., Buteau, C., & Muller. E. (2015). E-Brock Bugs©: An Epistemic Computer Game. Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, 5(2), 3-25.
- Buteau, C., Broley, L., & Muller, E. (2014). E-Brock Bugs: An Epistemic Math Computer Game. In Proceedings of Joint Meeting Int. Group Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME 38), July 2014, Vancouver, Canada.
- Broley, L., Buteau, C., & Muller, E. (2013). E-Brock Bugs: A New Free Online Math Computer Game for the Development of Mathematics Thinking – Integrating Probability Concepts in MDM4U (slides). Invited presentation at Fields MathEd Forum, Toronto (Canada), November 2013.
- Broley, L. (2013). E-Brock Bugs: The Creation and Analysis of an Epistemic Mathematics Computer Game. Unpublished Honour’s Thesis, Brock University, St.Catharines (Canada).
Brock Bugs is a mathematical board game for the introduction and understanding of basic probability concepts. Designed by Prof. Eric Muller, the game can be ordered for free from the Department of Mathematics through Mathstats@brocku.ca or 905-688-5550, x3300.
E-Brock Bugs©, created by Laura Broley (2013) with Chantal Buteau and Eric Muller, is a computer game with roots originating in Brock Bugs, a probabilistic board game created in early 1980s by Eric Muller.
