Influence of Mathematics Game - Based Instruction on Junior Secondary Students’ Interest in Mathematics in Kabba-Bunu Education Zone, Kogi State, Nigeria
Keywords:
mathematics games, students’ interest, junior secondary school, game-based Instruction, Kabba-Bunu, NigeriaAbstract
This study was designed to investigate the influence of Mathematics Game – Based Instruction on Junior Secondary Students’ Interest in Mathematics in Kabba-Bunu Education Zone, Kogi State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest non-equivalent control-group design involving Junior Secondary School II (JSS II) students in selected public secondary schools. The experimental group received Mathematics instruction incorporating structured low-cost games, while the control group received the schools’ usual instruction over the same period. Students’ interest was measured using a validated Mathematics Game Interest Scale (MGIS). Research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation and hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for pretest interest ratings. The results showed that the students taught Mathematics using Game – Based Instruction had higher mean interest ratings than their counterparts in the control group. The study recommended that Mathematics curriculum should incorporate Game – Based Instruction to enhance students’ interest and performance in Mathematics.
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