THE EFFECT OF USING EDUCATION GAME ON THE STUDENTS

ACHIEVEMENTS IN MATHEMATICS AT THE PRIMARY STAGE

Submitted by Supervisor

Nida Munawar Aaroosh Khan

Roll No. 2025
B.Ed. (Eve)

UNIERSITY OF EDUCATION

BANK ROAD CAMPUS, LAHORE

2015-19
 Acknowledgements

To start with the name of ALLAH who is the most Beneficent and Merciful.

I shall first of all thank ALLAH ALMIGHTY for giving me the courage and confidence to

complete this project.

Secondly, I would like to thank my teacher, Ms. Aaroosh Khan who had given me an opportunity

to make this project. She had very comprehensively briefed me about the requirements of this

project and only because of her special guidance I am able to successfully complete this project.
Table of Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5

Rationale of Study............................................................................................................... 6

Statement of Problem .......................................................................................................... 6

Research Objectives ............................................................................................................ 7

Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 7

Significance of Study .......................................................................................................... 7

Literature Review................................................................................................................ 8

Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 12

Research Design................................................................................................................ 13

Nature of Research ........................................................................................................ 13

Type of Investigation .................................................................................................... 13

Study Setting ................................................................................................................. 13

Unit of Analysis ............................................................................................................ 13

Sampling Design ........................................................................................................... 13

Time Horizon ................................................................................................................ 13

Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 13

Population ..................................................................................................................... 14

Data Analysis and Interpretation ....................................................................................... 15

 Reliability...................................................................................................................... 15

References ......................................................................................................................... 16
 Introduction

It is no more rhetoric but a time-tested reality that destiny of nations is shaped in class

rooms as well as in social settings through education. It has been well recognized that education is

an important ingredient for the development of an individual, society and nation. The main

contribution of education to the individual is the basic- right type of attitudes, values, adequate

knowledge, and essential skills. It is true that these basics can only be provided through a sound

educational system. Science like mathematics has earned an important status, emerging as a

powerful force for socio-economic changes and development of the nation. It deals with

identifying problems, searching explanations and seeking solutions for the welfare and

advancement of the society. Therefore, it becomes imperative to direct the youth towards science

education, especially mathematics education.

Pakistan is a developing country and is continuously striving for a respectable status in the

community of nations. Pakistan needs a sound base of science and technology to solve its problems

of food and shelter, fuel and energy, health and security, exploitation of natural resources and

boosting of agricultural and industrial production. Pakistan has established itself as a member of

global nuclear power society (Iqbal, 1990). The advancement of science and technology is entirely

influenced by the research 2 and development in the field of science especially Mathematics being

the mother of all sciences.

Instructional materials are ingredients that make teaching and learning of mathematics

pleasant and satisfying. Today’s successful teacher of mathematics is able to communicate ideas,

build students curiosity through the use of instructional materials. Mathematics is an abstract

logical science therefore mathematics teachers have special need for instructional materials which

lend reality to abstract ideas. Mathematics teachers think in terms of tangible and visual
representation such as sketches, models to concretize ideas. Such materials like mathematical

games generate and sustain interest in mathematics teaching and learning if well selected and used

(Nekang, 2011; Harbor-Peters, 2001).

Rationale of Study

Research has documented that the overall quality of education in Pakistan is very low

particularly at primary level science education including mathematics are in very poor condition.

This low quality of education at primary level adversely affects higher education and economy of

the country. On one side primary education prepares students for the pursuit of higher education,

on the other side, for most of the students it is a terminal stage that provides a middle level

workforce for the country’s economy (Brown, 1998).

Either pursuing higher education or becoming part of a workforce for the country’s

economy, every citizen needs to be functional in mathematics. Mathematics education is the means

for augmenting post school and citizenship opportunities of young people (Anthony & Walsha,

2009). Making sense of mathematics promotes & reasoning, critical thinking and rational decision-

making skills. Individuals who possess these skills will be more employable in the future, as

today’s world requires mathematically literate people (Bell & Norwood, 2007).

Statement of Problem

This study was designed to analyze the use of educational games in mathematics on

student’s achievement at primary level in schools of Lahore.

Research Objectives

The major objectives of this study were:

 To understand the importance of educational games to learn mathematics.

 To measure the impact of educational games on student’s achievements in

mathematics.

Research Questions

 How use of educational games in mathematics is related to students’ achievement?

 What is the effect of educational games in mathematics on students’ achievement at

primary level?

Significance of Study

Mathematics is a general, useful subject so a participating component of our society should

be familiar with the fundamental mathematics. Mathematics also has a extra particular, obscure,

and artistic side. It optimizes the splendor and supremacy of mathematical logic. Mathematics

embodies the hard work made over thousands of years by each culture to understand natural world

and regulate to human dealings (Anwar, 2004).

More mathematics has been created since the end of the World War II than in all pervious

human history. Today, knowledge of mathematics is one of components that separate people who

have choices from people without choices. The computer revolt has made mathematics a more

vital element of insurance industry, medical research, government transportation, manufacturing

and construction. Mathematical literacy leads to muddled personal decisions and mis-informed

government policies. Children born today will enter a work force where knowledge of mathematics

is crucial to their career opportunities, their contribution in the world, and the performance of their
personal lives. Any individual who does not have a expansive perception of mathematics will have

inadequate professional opportunities (Johnson and Johnson, 1991).

The research focuses how use of games in teaching of mathematics can help primary stage

enrolled students to learn more effectively. Moreover, how their performance and level of

achievement can be influenced by these games as an effective tool of learning.

Literature Review

Mathematics was defined by Isineyi, (1990) as a science, which deals with the meaning of

numbers and their relationship to space. Ukadike (1997), shared the view that mathematics is

indispensable because it has application in all other human activities including school science and

technology-based subjects. It has become the central intellectual discipline of the technological

society.

A mathematical game is a type of play that follows a set of rules, aims at definite goal or

outcome, and involves competition against other players or against barriers imposed by the nature

of the game itself (Worth 1981). A game is regarded as ‘mathematical when the players can

perceive and/or influence the course of the game on the basis of mathematical considerations.

Mathematical games may be used to introduce concepts as a prelude to explicit teaching or practice

skills or consolidate a concept after explicit teaching. Educational games do lead to improved

learning (Rudiger, 1994). Some researchers have evaluated the effectiveness of mathematical

games and gave reasons for the use of games. Among them are the powerful motivation,

involvement, and the development of positive attitudes in learning have long been recognized as

being essential and necessary. Games are also valuable for encouraging social skill, for stimulating
discussions, helping the development of understanding, for developing strategies for learning new

concepts, reinforcing skills and concepts as an aid to symbolization and logic (Oyedeji, 1992).

Mathematics has not secured its rightful position in the mind of students due to the lack of

interest as a result of poor tuition and aversions (the teaching and learning processes which may

lead to failure). Eba (1985, p.29) stated that mathematics has been a threat to students because of

problems associated with its instruction. Eba rightfully said that: The main reason why so many

students hate mathematics, and why so many fail in it, is because of poor tuition. In many cases,

teachers teach mathematics in a rather abstract way because of inadequate preparation, poor

teaching methods and lack instructional materials.

Harbor-Peters (2002) defined instructional game as a structured activity with set rules for

play in which two (2) or more students interact under clearly designed instructional objectives. In

a typical game, participants make decisions as if they are in actual situation. There is something

enjoyable, however serious, involving competition for specified objectives and observing rules.

Games require strategies, tactics and initiative from players (students). Hence, there must be a

winner. Games are valuable for encouraging social skills, stimulating mathematical discussion,

developing strategies for learning new concepts, reinforcing skills and concepts as an aid to

symbolization and logic, and for helping the development of mathematical understanding.

Rutherford (2015) opined that people of all ages love to play amusing and inspiring games

that may arouse their interest to learn and discover new ways of doing things. Mathematical games

help students to explore elementary number concepts such as the counting sequence and series,

number and numeration, basic number operation, one-to-one correspondence, and computation

strategies. Engaging mathematical games can also encourage students to explore number

combinations, place value, patterns, arithmetic processes and other important mathematical

concepts. Also, mathematical games help students to deepen their mathematical understanding,
reasoning, and applications such in sets and logic, measurement, geometry, trigonometry, graph,

probability and statistics. Teachers should provide frequent opportunities for students to play

games, and then let the mathematical ideas show up as students discover new patterns,

relationships, and strategies.

The greatest strength of games in mathematics teaching and learning is in the ability of a

game to provide drill and practical application. Thus, students learn and perfect their mathematical

skills in play-way which removes aversion. Aversions in mathematics consist of the teaching and

learning processes which may lead to fears and failure. Examples of mathematical games are: Dice

or ludo game and coin game for probability; Geoboard games for geometric concepts, for angles,

identifying and differentiating polygons, describing and locating coordinate points; Coordinate

game for Cartesian plane and coordinates; Card game for elementary number concepts, arithmetic

processes especially addition, simplifying algebraic expressions, ordering fractions, geometric

concepts, probability and randomness and so on (Nekang, 2016).

Ascher and Ascher (1994) asserted that mathematical games are culturally oriented and

that each culture has its own sets of mathematical games. They stressed that mathematical ideas

are panhuman and are developed within cultures. Mathematical ideas are taken to be those that

involve numbers, logic, spatial configuration and most importantly, the combination or

organization of these into systems or structures. From culture to culture and within any culture,

mathematical games and ideas appear in various contexts, which are either clear-cut or mutually

exclusive.

Malik (1997) observed that learning through hearing alone proves to be the least effective

means of learning. In this regard, he quoted that one learns only 11 percent by hearing as against

13 percent by seeing. As far as retention of hearing is concerned, learning through hearing again
stands at the lowest ebb because, after three days, we recall only 10 percent of what we learn

through hearing as against 65 percent of what we learn through both hearing and seeing; and 90

percent of what we acquire by applying three of our senses i.e. hearing, seeing and doing.

Farooq (1980) states that the teaching method, which is traditionally used, for teaching

mathematics in schools of Pakistan is a combination of lecture method and solving mathematical

problems simply on the blackboard. The expository strategies are a one-way channel of

communication. The instructor makes an oral presentation of information to which a student reacts

by silently taking notes. The student is never put into the situation from where he can move to

logical reasoning by discovering cause and effect relationships, self-analysis and techniques of

problem solving.

The teachers’ role is undoubtedly very important in planning, supporting and guiding

children in learning about mathematical concepts. They can use various teaching strategies and

techniques such as modelling and providing feedback and cognitive structuring in an environment

that encourages learning through social relationships (Fu 2010). An effective teacher should be

one who can facilitate and extend children’s learning within the holistic nature without being

overcome by the traditional teacher-centered method that inhibits children’s active participation

(Kallery & Psillos 2001). Children enter school with a range of concepts gathered from informal

experiences (Darling-Hammond 2000) and educators need to use them in teaching/learning

process and create a learning environment that gives children opportunities to develop fundamental

values, skills and understanding of various aspects. A strategy that makes teachers active

participants with children who are active and inventive rather than simply transmitting knowledge

to passive children is necessary to make the learning better (Garbett 2003). Employment of an

innovative, ground-breaking strategy that not only warrants novelty but also facilitates early
understanding and interest and mastery of concepts thus would make mathematics teaching

interesting, easy and enjoyable both for the young.

A meta-analytic review that quantitatively integrates findings of single studies may help gain an

understanding of the effectiveness of game-based learning for student math achievement. Several

meta-analyses have attempted to synthesize findings of empirical research on game-based learning

and academic achievement (e.g., Connolly et al., 2012; Vogel et al., 2006; Young et al., 2012).

However, most of these studies were not completed due to methodological challenges associated

with the shortage of empirically rigorous research in this area. In addition, these meta-analyses

spanned multiple content areas. Because educational gaming is a developing field that constantly

produces new empirical findings and their applications vary across various content areas, we have

conducted an extensive search of published and unpublished academic work on gaming focusing

on mathematics content area exclusively two years after the publication of the most recent meta-

analytical attempts on instructional gaming (Connolly et al., 2012; Young et al., 2012). Similarly,

to previous gaming meta-analytical reviews, he following definition of a computer game was used:

“A computer game is defined as such by the author, or inferred by the reader because the activity

has goals, is interactive, and is rewarding (gives feedback)” (Vogel et al., 2006, p. 231).

Methodology

Research is the process of generating knowledge and finding the reality and truth. This

research aimed to analyze the effect of educational games on students’ achievement in mathematics

at primary school level in Lahore. This study was descriptive in design and extensive literature

review was carried out to understand the previous related studies on the topic
 Research Design

Nature of Research

In this causal or explanatory field study data on one independent variables (educational

games in mathematics) and dependent variable (student’s achievement) were collected from both

males and females primary level teachers working in public schools of Lahore.

Type of Investigation

The study is a causal type of investigation. In this study researcher are basically trying to find the

effect of using educational games in mathematics on students’ achievements.

Study Setting

The research was conducted in non-contrived study settings or in other words the research was

conducted in a natural environment which shows the real situation of the results.

Unit of Analysis

The study was organized in Lahore region. The main focus was on public schools. Questionnaires

were filled by the teachers working in these schools.

Sampling Design

Convenient sampling was used for data collection. Total 50 questionnaires were distributed and

collected after completing from different public schools of Lahore. Likert 5-point scale having two

extreme ends was used for data collection.

Time Horizon

It was a cross-sectional study; mainly the focus was on measuring the impact of education games

in mathematics on students’ achievement.

Data Collection

Questionnaires were used to collect the data on the topic.

Population

In this research, data is collected from primary level mathematical teachers working in public

schools of Lahore. The total 50 respondents were approached for data collection. Out of these 50

respondents, 26 were answered correctly and 24 questionnaires were discarded. So total sample

size of our research was 26 teachers from different schools.

Table#01 Total Number of Lahore District Public Schools

No. of Schools
Level
Male Schools Female Schools
Higher Secondary
7 19

High 153 179

Middle 88 146
Primary 329 281
Mosque 15 1
Total 592 626
 Data Analysis and Interpretation

Reliability

Reliability of Independent
Variable

Cronbach’s N of Items
Alpha

.607 22

The above table specifies the internal consistency of data. Cronbach’s alpha 0.607 indicates

the acceptable consistency against 22 questions of independent variable i.e. educational games in

mathematics which means data can be considered reliable. It also indicates the uni-direction of

questions.

Reliability of Dependent
Variable

Cronbach’s
N of Items
Alpha

.858 13

Cronbach’s alpha of 0.858 shows the very high level of internal consistency of scale in the

given table. It indicates the data gathered from the respondents is highly reliable.

Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's
N of Items
Alpha

.752 35

The overall reliability as indicated by Cronbach’s alpha is 0.752 that shows the high

consistency of data. Which points out the interrelatedness and uniformity of questions.
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