Adaramola, O.M., Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Alamina, J.I., Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
The study investigated the effect of mathematical games on Nigerian students' performance in mathematics in secondary schools in Port Harcourt.. The design of the study was Pretest, Posttest Control Group Design. A total of one hundred and eighty (180) JSS1 students were involved in the experimental study. This number was made up of Ninety (90) boys and Ninety (90) girls from three schools purposively chosen from the Co-educational Federal schools, State schools and Government Approved Private Schools in Port Harcourt metropolis, for a good representation of the schools. From these schools, subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups i.e 60 students from each school. Two instruments were used in data collection. One was the pretest, which was used to establish the pretest mean scores, standard deviation and variance of the two groups used for study. This formed the basis for comparison with the posttest. The posttest was a parallel or an equivalent test to the pretest, and was used to determine the difference in achievement of students exposed to mathematical games and those not. The two groups were taught at different lesson times in their respective schools. The statistical tools used for the study were Mean, Standard Deviation, Variance, non-independent t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the use of mathematical games was more effective than the use of traditional lecture method in teaching mathematics. From the findings recommendations on how to improve students' performance in mathematics were made. The implications of the findings were also considered. © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2008.