The Effect of a Computer Game on Students’ Mathematics Motivation and Achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a mathematics computer game on students’ mathematics achievement and motivation. By using a simple random sampling technique, forty students who study at grade seven were chosen. Twenty students considered as experimental and twenty as control groups. Students’ mathematics achievement in both groups was measured using a pre-test. The results showed no statistically significant difference on the students’ pre-test scores. The experimental group was taught eight one-hour sessions during two weeks using mathematics computer game, while the control group was taught through traditional method. Both groups were also given a mathematics motivation questionnaire. After teaching period, a post-test was taken from both groups to measure acquired knowledge about the subjects taught. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to analyze the data. Results clearly indicated that mathematics computer game enhanced students’ mathematics achievement; it impacts on approach motivation and mathematics attitude; but it doesn’t have any effect on avoidance motivation.

Keywords

• computer game
• mathematics achievement
• approach-avoidance motivation
• attitude toward mathematics