Gamification in education: improving elementary mathematics through engagement in hybrid learning in the classroom
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Date
July, 2015.
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Abstract
The study of mathematics is essential in the education of an individual because it serves
as the basis of science and engineering fields. Thus, knowledge in mathematics play
effectual role in national development. In spite of this merit and numerous significances
chalked by the study of mathematics, Ghana seems to suffer from student failure in
mathematics both in the Basic Education Certificate Examination and the West African
Senior Secondary Certificate Examination. According to research, general absenteeism
on the part of teachers and students, lack of interest of students in the study of
mathematics, lack of instructional materials, and lack of educational interventions that
could help engage students in the study of mathematics are some of the causes of student
failure in the study of mathematics. Based on these findings, the researcher adopted
gamification framework as an intervention that can facilitate teaching and learning of at
the basic level. The study employed the qualitative research design. Participant
observation and interviews were used to collect and analyse data in the classroom
environment of one primary school in Kumasi and also to evaluate the efficacy of the
gamification framework as an intervention to improve interest and performance among
lower primary pupils. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were adopted to
sample 125 lower primary pupils and three (3) lower primary teachers as respondents.
The introduction of gamification and blended learning into the classroom encouraged
active, participatory and collaborative learning by engaging pupils in the study of
mathematics. This intervention changed the classroom dynamics and fostered new
teaching and learning approaches. The introduction of this gamification model also
boosted pupil-teacher interactivity, turned the pupils into motivated active learners, and
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increased the level of pupils’ engagement in learning mathematics. The study has reveal
that there is a high potential of using gamification as an intervention to augment t he
traditional teaching methods used in the teaching of mathematics in primary schools with
the end objective of increasing the level of pupil engagement, motivation and interaction
in the classroom lessons and also making the teaching and learning of mathematics
enjoyable in Ghanaian primary schools.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Department of General Art Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Art Education.