Enhancing Competencies of Students in Probability Using Games/ Arjon Paul Delatorre Dela Paz - 2020 - xii, 133 leaves; illustrations, 28 cm.
GS Thesis
Students, with their distinguished characteristics and level of intelligences, cannot be exposed to serious learning all the time; thus, teachers need to keep modifying their lessons to fit this type of learners. While games are thought to be fun and benefit learners in various ways, games have become the most suitable activities for students. The main goal of the study was to determine the significant difference between teaching using games in probability and the usual way of teaching in Grade 10 students of Bagong Silangan High School.
The experimental, descriptive-evaluative, and descriptive-qualitative methods of research were used to gather data. The subject of the study was the competency enhancement in probability using games. It was tested to Eighty (80) Grade 10 students of Bagong Silangan High School during the school year 2019-2020. They were selected using random sampling technique from 23 sections as main respondents of this study. Two groups were formed as experimental group and control group, respectively. The Experimental group was taught using games and the control group used traditional method of teaching. Both groups took pretest and posttest to determine their achieved competencies in learning Probability. The research instruments were the diagnostic test, the pretest and posttest and the results of interview.
Based on the data gathered, the result of the diagnostic test on Probability determined the six least mastered competencies which illustrated the permutation of objects and solved problems involving permutations, derived the formula for finding the number of combinations of n objects taken r at a time, solved problems involving permutations and combinations, illustrated events, and union and intersection of events, and solved problems involving probability. Given the challenging topics/lessons in probability, none of the two techniques, through games and the usual, could really give a solution to the problem of students' low mastered competencies as the results barely reached a sufficient degree. The significant increase in the mean scores of the experimental group and the control group did not constitute significant enhancement in the competencies of the students in probability as their competencies remained lower than the expected enhancement in their competencies. Using games failed to enhance the least mastered competencies of the students in probability, however, games could be good to enhance easily to moderately mastered competencies in the subject. It was also observed that in illustrating events and their operations students found using games in teaching more interesting and engaging as they manifested fun. enjoyment, and active participation during the conduct of the experiment. However, the students found difficulty in learning probability because it was their first exposure to the games and problem-solving concepts and ideas were too complicated to understand.
Based on the findings, problem solving competencies in probability are difficult for students to master even with the use of the traditional lecture and discussion method or using games. None of the two techniques, through games and the usual teaching in the class, is effective in enhancing least mastered competencies of students in probability. Using games are effective only in enhancing easily to moderately mastered competencies like illustration of union and intersection of events, however, it is not effective on difficult competencies such as problem solving and derivation of formulas. Using games can help in motivating and getting the interest of students to learn probability lessons/topics.