A Problem-Based Learning Approach of Teaching Mathematics to Media Technology Students Using a Game Engine

In this article, we present our idea of using a game engine (Unity) to teach Media Technology students mathematics-related concepts. In order to observe how the introduction of a technological tool, namely the game engine, changes the practices in mathematical work, we adopted the anthropological approach in didactics. This theoretical framework defines the “atoms” of mathematical practice and discourse in terms of tasks, techniques, technologies and theories. We present a didactical scenario when Unity is used for introducing the calculation of reflection and refraction vectors and then we use the anthropological approach to present the practices in calculating these vectors with traditional mathematics and constructing them in Unity. Then, we discuss the differences between the two cases, when we argue that Unity can benefit Media Technology students, who use mathematics as a tool. However, the assumptions on the mathematical practice while using Unity will have to be confirmed in actual educational settings.