Coolmath Games is one of the most popular educational gaming sites, providing fun math games for students of all ages. However, in recent years many schools and workplaces have chosen to block access to Coolmath Games on their networks. There are a few key reasons why Coolmath may be blocked.
Schools Block Coolmath Games
One of the most common places where Coolmath Games is blocked is in schools. There are a couple reasons why school districts may decide to block this website:
- Distraction from academics – School officials may feel Coolmath Games distracts students from focusing during class or working on assignments. Playing games during school hours can disrupt learning.
- Non-educational games – While Coolmath has math games, it also has many non-math titles like action, puzzle, and word games. Schools may aim to restrict access to only educational sites.
- Addictive nature – Some schools block games and social media due to concerns over students becoming addicted or obsessed with them during school hours.
Many school districts have acceptable use policies dictating what websites students are allowed to access on school networks. Coolmath Games often ends up on restricted lists along with other gaming and social media websites.
Workplaces Block Coolmath for Productivity
Employers often block access to gaming websites like Coolmath Games due to concerns over lost productivity in the workplace. Playing online games during work hours can understandably disrupt focus and distract from job duties. Reasons companies may block this website include:
- Time wasting – Employees playing games when they should be working costs companies time and money. Even a few minutes here and there wasted can add up.
- Network congestion – Streaming games can consume significant bandwidth on workplace networks, slowing connections for legitimate business needs.
- Reputational concerns – Companies may wish to limit access to gaming content to maintain a professional appearance for clients and customers.
Acceptable usage policies at many companies ban inappropriate websites including pornography, gambling, social media, and online games. Coolmath Games is commonly included in these blocked categories across many industries.
Is Coolmath Games Actually Educational?
While Coolmath Games promotes its website as making “math fun for kids of all ages”, how educational are these games? A look at some of the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| – Games involve numbers, math logic | – Lack of instruction or context |
| – Word games build vocabulary | – No increasing difficulty |
| – Spatial puzzles engage the mind | – Repeating similar games |
| – Makes math less intimidating | – Answer giving rather than teaching |
Research on educational value of games is mixed. Some studies show improved motivation yet little boost in actual math ability. It seems the website has potential, but games should be enhanced to teach mathematical concepts more explicitly.
How Students Bypass Coolmath Blocks
Despite blocks put in place by schools, many students still find ways to access blocked websites like Coolmath Games. Some common ways students get around school website blocks include:
- Proxy sites – These websites act as an intermediary to access blocked content.
- Virtual Private Networks (VPN) – Reroute internet connection through a private network.
- Modified DNS settings – Using custom DNS servers that don’t block certain websites.
- Using cellular data – School WiFi blocks don’t apply on cellular networks.
- Private browsing – Blocks are often implemented based on browser cookies and cached data.
Getting around blocks requires some tech savvy, though many proxy and VPN services now offer user-friendly apps. Students share tips and tricks to bypass restrictions.
Should Coolmath Be Unblocked in Schools?
There are reasonable arguments on both sides of this issue:
| Reasons to Unblock | Reasons to Keep Blocked |
|---|---|
| – Students enjoy and engage with site | – Distracting time waster during school |
| – Games have some educational value | – Plenty of other math education resources |
| – Hard to enforce complete blocks | – Block encourages staying on task |
| – Let responsible students moderate use | – Problematic addiction/obsession risks |
One compromise would be allowing access only during breaks, before/after school hours, or as a reward for good performance. Strict unblocking may also come with increased monitoring and consequences for misuse. There are also ways to leverage the appeal of games like Coolmath for increased engagement with math coursework. More research is warranted on effectiveness.
Conclusion
Coolmath Games is an entertaining site, but schools and employers want to discourage purely recreational use during instructional or working hours. While blocks are put in place to restrict access, tech savvy users often find ways around these barriers. The debate continues around whether measured access to game sites could be allowed to benefit from engagement and interest they generate. In the future, perhaps sites like Coolmath could increase their educational value to justify broader unblocking and promote continued passion for learning.
