Maths Rockx: Timetables - Mathematics Rockx Pty

This review of Maths Rockx: Timetables was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 9 April 2018.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Maths Rockx: Timetables contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

Reviewer accessed all areas of both the free and paid app.

App description

In Maths Rockx the 2–12 times tables are set to ‘cool’ songs from well known artists such as Pink, One Direction, Lady GaGa and Pharrell Williams. Children can sing their times table’s equations to the tune of the songs – helping them learn. The songs are catchy and enjoyable make learning fun and interesting.

Reviewers comments

In this app each times table is a different colour and has an instrumental and vocal version. The instrumental version displays the times table on the screen with some additional sound effects. Children can use the visual as a prompt but sing the equations themselves.

In the vocal version an artist sings the song, with each equation in the times tables highlighted so children can sing the correct equation. This creates a visual, aural and verbal link – children are seeing, hearing and saying their times tables at the same time. This is a very effective way of learning new information and retaining it, particularly for those children who struggle with short/long term memory retention and maintaining attention. The vocal version could be used in the beginning and as children become more proficient with their times tables the instrumental version could then be used, reducing the level of support to encourage independence.

The app also offers a quiz providing a way to test children’s progress in their learning. The song plays in the background while children answer equation questions. The time allowed for answering the questions can be changed from beginner to expert level depending on the ability of the child. They are given immediate feedback and shown the correct answer if they answer incorrectly, with a final score out of 12. Users can also create their own playlist – choosing the songs they want to listen to and in what order. Individual songs can be added multiple times if more practice is needed.

In App purchasing

• Within the free version each times table track can be downloaded individually for $1.49. This is helpful if you only want to focus on one or a few specific times tables.
• Every times table (from 2x up to 12x) can be downloaded for $14.99 in the ‘EDU’ version.
• Whilst it costs the same to download each song individually via in-app purchasing in the free version, purchasing the $14.99 ‘EDU’ version allows family sharing. This is important if wanting to use the app on different devices (such as on children’s and adults devices).

Online information

• Credit card details – required to download the paid version of the app from the app store
• Cellular data settings
• Log ins – requires password to download the app from the app store and fro in-app purchasing
• Connectivity with social media

On the home screen there is a small link to Facebook, email and text – designed to ‘tell a friend’ about the app. When clicking on the Facebook link the user is taken to their Facebook page to post about the app. This could be disabled by not having Internet connectivity. Internet connectivity is not needed to play the app, only to view the introductory video.  When clicking on the email or text icons the user is taken to their account and can choose whether to send an email or text message to someone.

Gambling

At the time of review, the reviewer found no simulated gambling content.

Advertising and product placement

No advertising or product placement was observed during the review.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

No gender stereotypes or sexual references were observed during the review.

Coarse language

No coarse language was observed during the review.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

No concerning game playing behaviour was observed during the review.

Other

N/A.

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