Like most kids who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s, educational software was part of my schooling. With a combination of getting children comfortable with computers and having them learn at the same time, what wasn’t there to love? History, English, Mathematics; it was all there at my fingertips. To top it all off, it was all so much fun that I never even noticed how much I was
learning. This was obviously a large plus for my mum who was home schooling me at the time. One of my favourite programs was Aussie Maths Invaders, where I moved a spaceship around, firing off answers to stop all the maths questions raining in from the sky. Many an afternoon was spent taking turns with my younger brother as we sat on the chair side by side.
Over the years, my schooling turned more to paper and pens, especially when I started to go to a mainstream school where computers were limited at the time. In sixth grade however I rekindled my love of Maths Invaders a second time. My mum picked up Ultimate Maths Invaders to help me at home. Once again I was back in my spaceship, using my maths skills to stop the never-ending questions falling down my screen. It made me enjoy maths again, rather than getting annoyed at the pesky long division I was learning at the time.
All those questions paid off too. I had less difficulty with calculator free packets and got better with my speed tests. It even helped with my first job in a cafe working on a register as well as in making batches of recipes too. Imagine my surprise at the age of 22 when once again Maths Invaders came back
into my life. Only this time I am able to help other children experience that same excitement that I had. Maths Invaders grew with me and has now become a part of the online age; this time as Maths Invaders Online. Not only can you answer the questions as I did, but now you can play with your friends! Not to mention the automated adaptive learning figuring out your maths level for you. I’m definitely a little jealous about that one myself.
Whenever I talk with my friends about where I work, I also hear similar anecdotes to my own. “Oh, I remember Typing Tournament” or “Baggin’ the Dragon was the best!” My mum even got excited when she heard about Maths Invaders Online too and now my younger siblings also use it. EdAlive and Maths Invaders always make for exciting conversation wherever I hear it.
I’m honestly excited to see where it goes next and how it will fit into my life as I get older too. I’d definitely use it in the future with my kids, that’s for sure!
Story Shared by Flora, Education Consultant