Abstract

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A COMPUTER GAME ON LINEAR AND QUADRATIC EQUATIONS FOR NIGERIAN SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENTS

1ISSAU, K. A., 2SALMAN, M. F. &3TIAMIYU, M. A.

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ABSTRACT Several researches have linked students? poor performance in linear and quadratic equations to lack of instructional material to reinforce the students during the Mathematics class. Thus, adopting Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation Stages of ADDIE model, this study developed and evaluated a computer game instructional package as a reinforcer for teaching linear and quadratic equations to senior school students in Nigeria. The study was a descriptive type. Three research questions were raised and answered using mean, frequency counts and percentages. The sample for the study comprised 10 computer programmers, 20 mathematics teachers and 60 senior secondary school students. Evaluation Comments Questionnaire for Computer Programmer and Mathematics Teachers? and Students? Achievement Test were used for data collection. The comments received from the evaluation carried out by computer programmers showed that the computer game on linear and quadratic equations instructional Package was well designed and developed. Out of 70 responses items, 36 (51.4%) adjudged the package as excellent while 25 (35.7%) described that it very good and 9(12.9%) indicated that it was good. Mathematics teachers? comments revealed that out of 200 responses items, 183(91.5%) were positive responses (agree and strongly agree) while 17(8.5%) were negative responses (disagree and strongly disagree). The result from students Achievement Test indicated that students? performance improved tremendously as a result of their constant practice with the game. It further showed that using computer games as a reinforcer, students? interest were aroused as they participated actively in Mathematics class. It was therefore recommended that more attention should be given to computer game as a motivator in teaching difficult concepts in Mathematics. Teachers of Mathematics should embrace and accept the use of computer games as complement to their verbal presentation. Also, the government and other relevant agencies of education should provide adequate resources that would promote the use of educational games in schools. Keywords: Computer Games, Instructional design, Development, Evaluation, Linear and Quadratic Equations.

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