Games And Cognitive Development In Teaching Mathematics In Public Primary School In Rivers State
Abstract
This study was on Games and cognitive development in teaching mathematics in public primary school in Rivers State. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected primary schools in Rivers state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made headmasters, headmistresses, class teachers and junior officers were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Chapter one
Introduction
- Background of the study
The utilization of games as teaching devices has received considerable attention from educators during the past decade. However, teaching with games is not entirely an educational innovation since man has long recognized the importance of games as learning tools. Yet, until recently their application in the classroom has been extremely limited.
Learning-games help a student to improve his or her critical thinking skills, and acquire a more advanced level of education. Therefore, a higher quality of education results in a more satisfactory personal and academic achievement. Recently, electronic games have had a significant impact on children’s lives. Hence, learning-games must combine more features to cater for more effective learning through technology (Gros, 2007). Learning-games could be the best way to enhance education through rewards and challenges. Some researchers believe that knowledge acquisition for children through learning-games result in higher performance than knowledge acquisition during conventional teaching methods. The application should have a lot of features that shape a child’s intelligence, which can affect the attitudes and behaviour (Yien, et.al. , 2011Lin et.al., 2017). Young children these day use smartphones and tablets to play, they can swap and tab before they can even walk or talk (Maltais, 2015). We can channel these tablets and smartphones to be useful for all the children, especially for primary school students by engaging technology with education, and this is called Educational technology, which means: “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 not debatable and this is why the supremacy of mathematics over every other subject is extolled by the national policy on Education (FRN, 2004), when it stated that mathematics should be made a core subject at the primary and secondary school levels as earlier mentioned. There is hardly any area of human endeavor devoid of mathematics and its application. Among the present day application of mathematics are the building of models to eliminate or bound recessions and inflations, selecting portfolio of stocks, plan industrial capabilities, plan transportation networks, study the nature of competition and the effects of business rivalry, investigate economic growth, population growth and formulate models ( Lassa, 2012). Kekere (2008) noted that mathematics is the foundation of any meaningful scientific endeavor and any nation that needs development in science and technology should have a strong mathematics for its youths.
Educational technology facilitates children in developing their hand-eye coordination, in developing their language skills, and in helping them gain appropriate skills before they go to the school. It also causes them to pay more attention to detail in order to solve an activity (McLeod, 2008). This project incorporates educational techniques to produce an educational game in order to strengthen primary aged students’ mathematical skills in a fun and exciting digital environment, to stimulate their love of learning mathematics. The application includes several levels of difficulty to cater for any level student may be at, to help improve their education at school
Statement of the problem
Mathematics is the science of patterns and layouts. It is also a universal language written with symbols and shapes that involves information processing (editing, analyzing, interpreting and sharing), producing, predicting and solving problem (MEB 2009) but the rate at which students fail mathematics is alarming and has been a bone of contention in the Nigerian Educational system. Some of the reasons for this failure may be lack of interest from the students, unqualified and non-dedicated teachers in the subject, phobia of the subject by students and constant changing of mathematics teachers in primary schools. As a result, the researcher deemed it fit to conduct this study titled ‘games and cognitive development in teaching mathematics in public primary school. Since games are fun filled and enjoyable, the researcher picks some games to study to see how helpful it would be. Will these games bring a turnaround in the achievement of students in mathematics primary school?
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the help of games and cognitive in teaching of mathematics in primary school in Rivers states
- To evaluate the impact of Mathematics Game-Base Learning in primary school
- To ascertain whether pupil participation in mathematics games will increase quantitative cognitive abilities.
Research hypotheses
For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;
H0: there is no help of games and cognitive in teaching of mathematics in primary school in Rivers states
H1: there is help of games and cognitive in teaching of mathematics in primary school in Rivers states.
H02: there is no impact of Mathematics Game-Base Learning in primary school
H2: there is impact of Mathematics Game-Base Learning in primary school
Significance of the study
The study will be very significant to student, policy makers and educational sector. The study will give a clear insight on the games and cognitive development in teaching mathematics in public primary school in Rivers state. The study will educate pupil on the kind of game that will help in teaching of mathematics. The study will also serve as a reference to other researcher that will embark on the related topic
Scope and limitation of the study
The scope of the study covers Games and cognitive development in teaching mathematics in public primary school in Rivers State. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;
- a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
- b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Cognition: Cognition refers to “the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses
Teaching: Teaching is the process of attending to people’s needs, experiences and feelings, and making specific interventions to help them learn particular things
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