CrushStations vs Pyralinks

CrushStations is a game designed to train working memory, a subskill of executive functions. Working memory involves holding information in mind and mentally working with it (Diamond, 2013). Players need to remember the color and type of creatures to free them and keep them out of reach of the hungry octopus. How does this support learning? Executive functions refer to a set of top-down, goal-oriented cognitive processes that enable people to control, monitor and plan behaviors and emotions. Miyake and Friedman’s model supports a unity-and-diversity view of EF in that it incorporates the three distinct but related components of EF: inhibitory control, task-switching and updating (Miyake et al., 2000). What is the research evidence? Our research suggests that CrushStations is an effective way to train working memory. The study supporting this claim will be published soon. Research has found that EF is related to performance in literacy and math along with long-term gains in school performance and academic readiness (Blair & Razza, 2007; Brock, Rimm-Kaufman, Nathanson, & Grimm, 2009; St Clair-Thompson & Gathercole, 2006; Welsh, Nix, Blair, Bierman, & Nelson, 2010) and that disparities in EF among preschool children from low-income versus high-income homes may contribute to the achievement gap (Blair & Razza, 2007; Noble, McCandliss, & Farah, 2007). This game is part of the Smart Suite, created by New York University’s CREATE lab in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Barbara, and The Graduate Center, CUNY. The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305A150417 to the University of California, Santa Barbara. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

Pyralinks is a daily puzzle game where every tile connects with the ones around it. Each puzzle takes the shape of a pyramid, and every connected pair of tiles must form a correct link. Swap tiles until the full pyramid is solved. Three puzzle types, with new puzzles every day: - Pyragrams: word pairs that combine to form a phrase, like "point blank" and "blank check" - Pyraphemes: word fragments that combine to form words - Pyrithmetic: arithmetic expressions formed from three numbers and an operator How to play 1. Drag one tile onto another to swap them. 2. Tap a link to mark connections you think are correct. Marked tiles move together. 3. Submit a guess. Correct links turn green and lock in place. 4. Use what you learn to fix the rest before you run out of guesses. Features - New puzzles every day - Streaks and stats to track your progress - Share a spoiler-free summary of your solve - A free account unlocks the puzzle archive and syncs your progress across devices Pyralinks Plus An optional monthly subscription that removes ads. Manage or cancel anytime from the Account page in the app. Terms of Use: https://www.pyralinks.com/terms Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Play. Think. Connect. Created by TMBoyz LLC