LEARNING PROVISION USING GAMES TO PROMOTE NUMBER SENSES OF GRADE 7 STUDENTS

Abstract

This research had the following objectives: 1) to study the organization of game-based learning activities designed to promote number sense among lower secondary school students, and 2) to examine the number sense of Grade 7 students who were taught through game-based learning activities. The target group consisted of 16 Grade 7 students from the Border Patrol Police School of the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited in honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, during the second semester of the 2024 academic year, Mae Fah Luang District, Chiang Rai Province. The research instruments included: 1) four game-based learning activity plans designed to enhance number sense; 2) activity worksheets used to assess students’ number sense during instruction; 3) post-teaching reflection records; 4) a number sense assessment used to evaluate students’ overall number sense in five dimensions, namely: (1) understanding of whole numbers in terms of counting and ordinal numbers; 2) understanding of numerical relationships; 3) awareness of the effects of operations; 4) flexible mental computation; and 5) estimation. The data were analyzed using mean values, percentage gain scores, and content analysis.
The research findings revealed that:
1) the organization of game-based learning activities that were able to promote students’ number sense could be achieved by utilizing games with which students were familiar, and by modifying the rules or adding new conditions that aligned with each component of number sense. In addition, learning activities should have begun with situations related to daily life in order to enable students to recognize the importance of applying number sense to problem solving. During gameplay, opportunities should have been provided for students to engage in discussion, exchange ideas, and present reasonable justifications.
2) The number sense of students who were taught through game-based learning activities, as determined by comparing progress during instruction and after testing with the number sense assessment, showed varying levels of improvement. In Dimension 1, understanding of whole numbers in terms of counting and ordinal numbers, the percentage of progress increased by 44.52%. In Dimension 2, understanding of the relative magnitude of numbers, the percentage of progress increased by 15.48%. In Dimension 3, awareness of the effects of operations, the percentage of progress increased by 8.25%. In Dimension 4, flexible mental computation, the percentage of progress decreased by 16.37%. In Dimension 5, estimation, the percentage of progress decreased by 2.56%. Overall, the findings indicated that the number sense of students who learned through game-based learning activities increased in three dimensions and decreased in two dimensions.