ABSTRACT
The study sought to determine the effectiveness in the utilization of game-based instruction in teaching Mathematics among Junior High School learners of Batangas National High School.
Specifically, it aimed to identify the level of performance and the proposed plan of action to the problems encountered by teachers in implementing game-based instruction. The Descriptive Method of research was utilized and the data gathered through the use of survey questionnaire.
Descriptive analysis results that there are games which are not familiar to learners and the teachers encountered problems in integrating game-based instruction such as lack of time to plan the game as integrated across the curriculum.
This research is limited to teachers and students of Batangas National High School.
This research facilitates a great importance to teachers and students to improve the quality of education and let the students experience the best learning approaches.
Keywords: Game-Based Instruction, strategic games, instructional strategies.
I. INTRODUCTION
Teaching methodology is a system of methods used by educators in reaching their learners in their classroom effectively and achieving a quality learning and education. Teachers of the twenty first generation should devise different learning styles and creative manners of teaching instruction to develop the students’ critical thinking and problems solving as the twin goals of Mathematics in the basic education levels.
Based on the National Achievement – Level Result of NAEP, in 2017, there is no significant change in the performance of the eight- grade learners from 2015 – 2017 who performed 34 percent at or above the Proficient level on the mathematics assessment and 70 percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the Basic level. This implied that there are lack of different teaching and learning styles used in enhancing and developing the performance of the learners.
In the study made by Archarya (2017), mentioned that teacher related factors are one of the aspects of low pass rate in mathematics in secondary level. Teacher is a person who provides education for students individually and motivate teaching and learning activities. Motivation in teacher factors towards students and assessment system of students which affected students passed in mathematics. He also added that motivation is the internal and external factor that can boost the desire of the learners to continually interested to learn something from the lesson or subject matter.
Rondina (2019) stated that Mathematics educators motivate students to engage in the teaching – learning process. It is observed that when the students pay attention to the class discussion and interactions, they got higher score in the test because they can remember what had been discussed because of the first hand experience. She also stated that it needs an activity that will catch their interest and mathematical games have become an interesting area in educational research.
Leaners who were exposed and experienced mathematical games strategy had obtained a higher level of performance and achievement score compared to those who were exposed in traditional strategy/ method as revealed from the study of Taclay (2013). This result tend to the recommendation of the use of the mathematical games as strategy in discussing lessons in Geometry and Mathematics in general so that the learners will be able to understand concepts and eventually obtain a better performance.
Anderson (2016) posted that playing mathematical games encourage strategic and logical thinking. It also develops problem solving skills and mathematical fluency. Games also give the chance for the students to apply their learning in a different context. Through mathematical games, students can discuss with their peers freely and without fear the mathematics needed in the game.
Magtibay (2016) stated that applying games that will suit for the interest of the students such as online games, educational games and simulations can make the students interested on the topic. Based on her study, the students had high performance in using games in classification of angles and very high performance in angle pairs.
Libradilla et. al. (2015) concluded that the performance of the pupils in mathematics was higher when game – based math lessons were introduced. According to them, game – based math lessons which is perceived by pupils as engaging, exciting and full of fun erases their perception of mathematics as a difficult subject. They also recommended that game – based math lessons be formally part of the department of education curriculum and training and seminars be conducted to orient the teachers in this classroom intervention for prompt implementation.
More here, according to Madrigal et. al. (2018), a game – based intelligent environment, integrates the methods of intelligent tutoring system into game environment, refining the learners’ mastery of a topic by adjusting the problems in the game with reference to a learner model.
According to Valdez (2017), teaching thru gaming, promote active participation of the students in the learning activities. It can develop some practical skills, educational simulations, intellectual skills, exercises and sometimes it involves physical stimulation. Teaching through games also assesses students’ capacity in problem solving and answering question.
Pepito et. al. (2013) introduced that game is usually distinct from work and arts, however, the distinction was not clear – cut because some games are usually considered as work such as professional players of spectator and arts just like jigsaw puzzle or games involving an artistic layout such as Mahjong, solitaire, or some video games. This can be part of human experiences and some old games are known. The interaction, rules and challenges are some key component of the game.
Computer game – based learning (CGBL) as a learning tool in Trigonometry helped to increase the post test scores of the leaners based on the study made by Jorda et. Al. (2015). CGBL has a positive effect in the cognitive and affective domains of the learning and it has a strong potential to increase the students’ level of performance in Mathematics when applied in the correct learning environment. They also recommended to the school administrators to set resources for the training of mathematics teachers on the usage of visual instructional materials like CGBL in the teaching and learning of Mathematics.
Driggs and Pappas (2015) examined the most representative studies over last decade, which investigated the contribution of video games or educational video game in mathematics education. The video game – based learning has a positive effect on the performance of the learners in terms of mathematical, cognitive, and mental skills as revealed in the study made by Rondina (2019). The mentioned studies simply implied that the educational Math video games could also help increase the motivation level and desire of the learners towards the mathematics subjects.
The above studies indicated the positive influence of mathematics game – based design activities either in offline or online platform. Game – based instruction in Mathematics learning can motivate learners, improve problem solving skills and mathematics fluency, remove fears in the subject, erase negative perception about the subject matter, refining students’ mastery of a topic, develop some practical skills, educational simulations, intellectual skills, exercises and sometimes it involves physical stimulation and in general, improve and enhance the learners’ performance and achievement in different assessment.
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