ABSTRACT
The topic of the
study is ‘Effects of game based learning on junior secondary school student’s
achievement in mathematics in Enugu east local government area of Enugu state.
The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of game based learning on
junior secondary school student’s achievement in mathematics. The work was a
pre-test post-test control group quasi experimental research design. The researcher formulated two research
questions and two hypotheses that guided the study. The researcher used
mathematics achievement test as an instrument for data collection. The
reliability of the instrument was 0.79 using Richard Kuderson formula 20 and
the instrument was validated by three research experts. The population of the
study was 950 and a sample size of 280 was obtained using the Taro Yamane’s
simplified formula in the four selected Government secondary schools in Enugu
East local Government Area of Enugu state. The Data collected was analyzed
using mean, standard deviation for the research questions and t-test for the
hypotheses analysis. The study revealed that game based learning is an
interactive form of learning that gives learners the opportunity to work in
group competitively and at the same time learn mathematics in a fun filled way.
Results also show that male students perform better than their female counterparts
when exposed to game based learning approach. The following recommendation was
made, teachers should be trained on ways of using game based learning approach
in the classroom and Educational planners should implement it in the school
curriculum among others.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
Since the inception of formal education in Nigeria,
mathematics, in one form or the other has been placed as a core course in the
school curriculum right from nursery level up to secondary level of the
education system. This is in recognition of its immense contribution to
individual’s capacity building and nation’s advancement in science and
technology and over all development. The actualization of the vision 20:2020
hinges on qualitative and functional mathematics education (Gbolagade and
Sangoniyi, 2013). These researchers averred the above in a bid to establish the
importance of mathematics to the Nigerian students.
The value of mathematics to any developing country
is not debatable and this is why the
supremacy of mathematics over every other subject is extolled by the national
policy on Education (FRN, 2004), when it stated that mathematics should be made
a core subject at the primary and secondary school levels as earlier mentioned.
There is hardly any area of human endeavor devoid of mathematics and its
application. Among the present day application of mathematics are the building
of models to eliminate or bound recessions and inflations, selecting portfolio
of stocks, plan industrial capabilities, plan transportation networks, study
the nature of competition and the effects of business rivalry, investigate
economic growth, population growth and formulate models( Lassa, 2012). Kekere
(2008) noted that mathematics is the foundation of any meaningful scientific
endeavor and any nation that needs development in science and technology should
have a strong mathematics for its youths.
Mathematics remains a service provider for all
disciplines and its contributes immensely in deciding directions of activities
such as economy, banking, market
transactions, industrial functions, research, leadership, legal jurisprudence,
engineering and others too many to mention ( Salman,2005; Odili, 2006; Umar and
Aliyu, 2006, Ugwuanyi and Agwagah, 2014). The development of any nation is
dependent on its improved mathematics education which establishes bases for
technological advancement. Thus, science is the bedrock that provides the
spring board for the growth of technology and mathematics is the gate to the
science (Aguele and Usman, 2007). The petinent virtue of mathematics in
contributing to the development of mankind calls for its improved teaching and
learning.
Despite
its robustness and utilitarian value, mathematics remains one subject in the
school curriculum where majority of learners have shown negative interest and
attitude and achieved poorly in internal and external Examinations(Ezeugo and
Agwagah, 2000; Unonyang, 2009; Iweka, Onwuka and Moseri, 2010; WAEC,
2010-2016). The falling standards in mathematics education have become so
discussed and researched in recent times (Adetula, 2005;Adeyanji, 2009); indeed
the performance in mathematics has become so deplorable all over the country
that there is a consensus of opinion about the poor state of secondary school
students’ achievement in mathematics (Adebule, 2004; Adesemowo, 2005; Asikhia,
2012). The situation has degenerated to
a level that calls for a close look at all the critical factors in teaching and
learning of mathematics. Improving student attitudes is not an insignificantly
frivolous achievement because negative attitudes about mathematics if not
changed in schools, may reverberate to the next generation of students as some
of the students who in our classes struggle with or even hate mathematics will
soon be in the classroom teaching other school students mathematics and passing
along the same attitudes. It is imperative, therefore, that these attitudes be
changed now. Among such factors are improved instructional techniques such as
the use of game based learning as against the conventional method which is widely
used in schools today.Game based learning is a relatively young concept if
compared to the traditional learning procedure and with the interesting novelty
of engaging interactivity (Breuer & Bente, 2009).
Over the years, researchers have been mandated with
the task of unveiling many of such improved techniques aimed at proffering
solution to the problem of poor achievement in mathematics. Even though the
problem still persists, there seems to be growing evidence( Galadima and
Okogbenin, 2012; Ukpebor and Omole, 2012) that the use of games in instruction
can produce better achievement and generate more favorable attitude in
mathematics than the use of conventional method.
Besides being an emerging research Game-based
learning (GBL) has also been widely discussed in the educational sector in the
21st century. There are several studies indicating that game based learning is
not only a motivating educational idea, but also a didactic concept that if carefully implemented could be an
alternative with better outcomes than with conventional methods (Malone &
Lepper 1987; Gee 2003; Prensky 2001). Since achievement is a means of finding
out how learners perform in various subjects, the researcher decided to use
game based learning to find out if it will improve student’s performance in
mathematics
There are many methods that are
familiar; game based learning is one of such methods. Agwagah (2011) defines a
game as “a situation in which two or more participants confront one another in
pursuit of certain objectives. From this definition one may look at game as an
activity involving two or more persons operating under some rules with the
objective of winning or payoff. So a game must produce a winner and a loser.
They stimulate mathematical thinking and also generate excitement and spirit of
competition. It deals with the use of games in teaching and learning
environment. It uses competitive exercises, either putting the students against
each other or getting them to challenge themselves in other to motivate them to
learn better.
Today,
we are confronted with the reality of the dearth of games in our schools
(Agwagah, 2011) in addition to the fact that teachers have deficiency in the
construction and use of games. The issue of updating teachers in the construction
and use of game based learning of mathematics and their popularization in
schools present a huge challenge to mathematics teachers. Plato (Gutek, 2005)
maintained that knowledge occurs only in the mind of the person seeking it, and
it is the teacher who should create the right environment for such learning.
Since there is dearth of mathematical games in schools, in addition to the
challenge posed to the teachers in the construction and use of games, one way
of tackling this challenge is to start from the basics of identifying some
mathematics concepts in some readily available games and how these concepts can
be taught using such games. This attempt will open the eyes of the mathematics
teachers to the reality of mathematics in games just as in other endeavors of
humanity.
However,
since mathematics is practical in nature, it is pertinent to device games which
will give a positive result to the study. It is against the backdrop that the
researcher intends to investigate the effect of game based learning on junior
secondary school students’ achievement in mathematics. The study may assist in
improving the students’ achievement in mathematics which could enhance their
abilities to improve their leadership qualities and service to humanity.
Statement of the problem
Mathematics is the science of patterns and
layouts. It is also a universal language written with symbols and shapes that
involves information processing( editing, analyzing, interpreting and sharing),
producing, predicting and solving problem (MEB 2009) but the rate at which
students fail mathematics is alarming and has been a bone of contention in the
Nigerian Educational system. Some of the reasons for this failure may be lack
of interest from the students, unqualified and non-dedicated teachers in the
subject, phobia of the subject by students and constant changing of mathematics
teachers in schools. As a result the researcher deemed it fit to conduct this
study titled ‘Effects of game based learning on junior secondary school
student’s achievement in mathematics. Since games are fun filled and enjoyable,
the researcher picks some games to study and they include geoboard game and
ludo or dice game among others. Will these games bring a turnaround in the
achievement of students in mathematics?
Purpose of the study
The
purpose of the study is to find out the effects of game based learning on
junior secondary school students’ achievement in mathematics in Enugu East
Local Government Area of Enugu state.
Specifically,
the study intends:
1. Todetermine
the effects of game based learning on junior secondary school students’
achievement in mathematics.
2. To find if there will be difference in male
and female student’s achievement in mathematics when using game based learning.
Scope of the study
This
study is restricted to public secondary schools in Enugu East Local Government
Area of Enugu state. The study also limited its scope to the effects of game
based learning on junior secondary school students’ achievement in mathematics.
Significance of the study
This
study will be of great value to the researcher as it serves as an achievement
and reference material.
It
will give the government new ideas on things to include in the mathematics
curriculum during curriculum innovation.
It
will expose the students to better and more interesting ways of learning mathematics which will lead to
development of interest in the subject.
It
will enable the teachers to discover a new and improved teaching technique in
mathematics which is game based learning.
The
researcher is of the view that this study will enable school authorities to
make resources needed for the use of games in teaching mathematics available
for better learning of the subject.
Research questions
The
following research questions were formulated to guide the study in order to
achieve its objectives
1.
What is the difference in the mean achievement score of students taught
mathematics with game based learning approach and those taught with
conventional methods?
2.
What is the difference in the mean achievement score of male and female
students taught mathematics with game based learning approach?
Research Hypothesis
The
following hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance guided the study
1.
There is no significant difference
between the mean achievement scores of students taught mathematics with game
based learning approach and those taught with conventional methods.
2.
There is no significant difference
between the mean achievement score of male and female students taught
mathematics with game based learning approach.
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