GAMES AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN MATHEMATICS TEACHING IN RIVERS STATE PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL
Abstract
This study focused on games and cognitive development in mathematics teaching in a public primary school in Rivers State. The study’s total population is 200 staff members from selected primary schools in Rivers state. The researcher collected data using questionnaires as the instrument.
This study used a descriptive survey research design. The study included 133 respondents who were headmasters, headmistresses, class teachers, and junior officers. The collected data was organized into tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies.
chapter One
Introduction
The study’s context
Over the last decade, educators have paid close attention to the use of games as teaching tools. Teaching with games, on the other hand, is not entirely an educational innovation, as humans have long recognized the value of games as learning tools. However, until recently, their use in the classroom was extremely limited.
Learning games help students improve their critical thinking skills and achieve a higher level of education. As a result, higher educational quality leads to more satisfying personal and academic achievement. Electronic games have recently had a significant impact on the lives of children.
As a result, learning games must incorporate more features in order to facilitate more effective learning through technology (Gros, 2007). Learning games may be the most effective way to improve education through rewards and challenges. Some researchers believe that children’s knowledge acquisition through learning games results in higher performance than knowledge acquisition through traditional teaching methods.
The application should include a variety of features that shape a child’s intelligence and influence their attitudes and behavior (Yien, et.al. , 2011Lin et.al., 2017). Young children nowadays play with smartphones and tablets; they can swap and tab before they can walk or talk (Maltais, 2015). By combining technology and education, we can make these tablets and smartphones useful for all children, particularly primary school students.
This is known as educational technology, which is defined as “the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources” (Januszewski and Molenda, 2008).
The value of mathematics to any developing country is undeniable, which is why the national policy on education (FRN, 2004) extols the superiority of mathematics over all other subjects by stating that mathematics should be made a core subject at the primary and secondary school levels, as previously stated. Mathematics and its applications pervade almost every aspect of human endeavor.
Among the current applications of mathematics are the development of models to eliminate or limit recessions and inflations, the selection of stock portfolios, the planning of industrial capabilities, the planning of transportation networks, the study of the nature of competition and the effects of business rivalry, the investigation of economic growth, population growth, and the formulation of models ( Lassa, 2012).
According to Kekere (2008), mathematics is the foundation of any meaningful scientific endeavor, and any nation in need of scientific and technological development should have a strong mathematics program for its youth.
Educational technology assists children in developing their hand-eye coordination, language skills, and acquiring appropriate skills before they enter school. It also causes them to pay more attention to detail when solving a problem (McLeod, 2008).
This project combines educational techniques to create an educational game to strengthen primary aged students’ mathematical skills in a fun and exciting digital environment, thereby stimulating their love of learning mathematics. The application includes several levels of difficulty to accommodate any level of difficulty that a student may be at in order to help improve their education at school.
Statement Of Problem
The science of patterns and layouts is known as mathematics. It is also a universal language written in symbols and shapes that involves information processing (editing, analyzing, interpreting, and sharing), production, problem prediction, and resolution (MEB 2009) However, the rate at which students fail mathematics is alarming and has long been a source of contention in Nigeria’s educational system.
Some of the reasons for this failure may be a lack of student interest, unqualified and uncommitted teachers in the subject, student phobia of the subject, and a constant turnover of mathematics teachers in primary schools. As a result, the researcher determined that this study titled “games and cognitive development in teaching mathematics in public primary school” was appropriate.
Because games are enjoyable and entertaining, the researcher selects a few to study to see how beneficial they would be. Will these games improve the performance of students in primary school mathematics?
The study’s objective
The study’s objectives are as follows:
To determine the effectiveness of games and cognitive thinking in the teaching of mathematics in primary schools in Rivers states.
To assess the effectiveness of Mathematics Game-Based Learning in primary school.
To determine whether student participation in mathematics games improves quantitative cognitive abilities.
Hypotheses for research
The researcher developed the following research hypotheses in order to successfully complete the study:
H0: In Rivers State, there is no use of games or cognitive learning in the teaching of mathematics in primary schools.
H1: Games and cognitive learning aid in the teaching of mathematics in primary schools in Rivers State.
H02: Mathematics Game-Based Learning has no effect in primary school.
H2: Mathematics Game-Based Learning has an impact in primary school.
The study’s importance
The study will be extremely useful to students, policymakers, and the educational sector. The study will provide a clear understanding of the games and cognitive development in mathematics teaching in public primary schools in Rivers state.
The study will educate students on the types of games that will aid in the teaching of mathematics. The study will also be used as a resource for other researchers who will be working on a similar topic.
The study’s scope and limitations
The study’s scope includes games and cognitive development in mathematics teaching in public primary schools in Rivers State. The researcher comes across a constraint that limits the scope of the study;
a) RESEARCH MATERIAL AVAILABILITY: The researcher’s research material is insufficient, limiting the scope of the study.
b) TIME: The study’s time frame does not allow for broader coverage because the researcher must balance other academic activities and examinations with the study.
1.7 TERM DEFINITION
Cognition: The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses is referred to as cognition.
Teaching is the process of attending to people’s needs, experiences, and feelings and making specific interventions to assist them in learning specific things.
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GAMES AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN MATHEMATICS TEACHING IN RIVERS STATE PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL