The Impact of Game-Based Learning and AI Support on Students’ Understanding of Fractions
Fractions are a foundational mathematical concept that many elementary students struggle to understand (Piaget, 1952). Traditional instruction often relies on memorization and repetition, which reduces engagement and limits conceptual understanding. The platform introduces an interactive learning platform that utilizes adaptive difficulty and an AI-powered chatbot to support students. While artificial intelligence tools are becoming increasingly common in education, most general systems focus on providing answers rather than ensuring students understand the reasoning behind them (Burns, 2026). The chatbot encourages students to explain concepts, promoting understanding instead of answer retrieval (Vygotsky, 1978). The platform includes instructional units, quizzes, and final assessments to measure learning outcomes. To evaluate the system’s effectiveness, a study was conducted. It involved students in grades four through six. Fifteen students tested the platform, with eight using the adaptive chatbot and seven using the standard chatbot. Results showed that students using the adaptive chatbot achieved an average of 93.5% on the final assessment, whereas those using the general model achieved only 83.0%. Results indicate that explanation-based AI tools can strengthen conceptual understanding in mathematics.