Prodigy Education, Inc., formerly Prodigy Game, is an educational technology company focused on game-based learning. Its co-CEOs and founders are Alex Peters and Rohan Mahimker.[1] It is the developer of the 2011 and 2022 Prodigy Math, a roleplaying game where players solve math problems to participate in battles and cast spells, and Prodigy English, a sandbox game where players answer English questions to earn currency to gain items. Although each game is standalone, both are accessible through a single Prodigy account. The games are widely used in schools, though they have attracted criticism due to excessive in-game advertising for membership and their freemium aspects.[2]
 Logo of Prodigy Education, Inc. | |
| Formerly | Prodigy Game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational video games |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Alex Peters Rohan Mahimker |
| Website | https://prodigygame.com |
Prodigy English
editOn April 21, 2022, Prodigy English was launched for grades 1 to 8+. According to Prodigy Education, the new game encouraged players to "build their own online world, collecting supplies and exploring an exciting and interactive environment while learning curriculum-aligned English skills."[3]
Criticism and controversies
editCriticism of premium model
editIn February 2021, Fairplay, formerly the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, an American advocacy organization, submitted a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the premium model of Prodigy Math. The organization stated that "[while it] does cost nothing for schools to implement Prodigy, the in-school version encourages children to play at home" and that "And when children play at home, they are met with a steady stream of advertisements promoting a 'premium annual membership' that costs up to $107.40."[2][4][5]
James Bigg, a spokesman for Prodigy Math Game, responded to these allegations by stating in an email interview that the game notifies players about memberships "from time to time". Furthermore, Bigg has stated that "[Prodigy Education looks at] this responsibly and sparingly so it does not detract from the free game play experience or educational quality. ... [they] do not pressure users into upgrading."[6]
References
edit- ^ Vermond, Kira (September 21, 2021). "Education has just been transformed overnight". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ a b Hern, Alex (February 19, 2021). "Maths app targeting UK schools is criticised over premium mode". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ Kuykendall, Kristal (April 21, 2022). "Maker of Prodigy Math Expands Into Literacy Learning With New Prodigy English Game". THE Journal. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ Solon, Olivia (February 19, 2021). "Child protection nonprofit alleges 'manipulative' upselling with math game Prodigy". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ Lucas, Johnson (June 14, 2022). "Why freemium software has no place in our classrooms". The Conversation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- ^ Klein, Alyson (February 23, 2021). "Popular Interactive Math Game Prodigy Is Target of Complaint to Federal Trade Commission". Education Week. ISSN 0277-4232. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
External links
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