Authentic Game-Based Learning Approach and Grade 7 Students' Scientific Inquiry Skills: Addressing Misconceptions in Physics

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

In the Philippines and around the world, people are talking about a science and technology-based world and a knowledge-based economy. Given the expectations and skills required to live successfully in such an environment and the varied problems of science education in the country, there is a need to rethink the vision of Science education. This research study entitled "Authentic Game-Based Learning Approach and Assessment of Grade 7 students Scientific Inquiry Skills: Addressing Misconceptions in Physics" was conducted to find out other methods of instruction that can be used in teaching science, most especially in Physics, by focusing on the 21st-century skills of the students namely, predicting, investigating, and interpreting.

METHODS

The researcher used the experimental research design. It involved the 120 Grade 7 students of Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School from the regular BEC. Three (3) sets of Pretest/Posttest were utilized to gather data before and after the user of the authentic game-based learning approach. Results showed that using the game inside the classroom has greatly affected the students learning. Based on the result, it was found out that authentic game-based learning approach is an effective method in improving the students' scientific inquiry skills that might help them in studying physics.

RESULTS

The students mean gain score after the exposure to the authentic game-based learning approach were as follows: Group 1 who used board game has a mean gain score of 1.91; Group 2 who used scavenger hunt has a mean gain score of 3.90; and lastly, Group 3 who used task card has a mean gain score of 4.10. In terms of scientific inquiry skills, students' predicting skill had a mean gain score of 4.18. While in the investigating skill, they had a mean gain score of 3.01. In the interpreting skill, they had a mean gain score of 2.72. An overall mean gain score of the scientific inquiry skill is 3.10.

DISCUSSIONS

Group 1, who used the board game, shows that most of the skills have a significant difference except investigating skill which is not significant. Group 2, who used the scavenger hunt, have shown a positive result on developing the students' scientific inquiry skills. The scavenger hunt has brought a significant difference to students' scientific inquiry skills. Group 3, who used the task card game, have a positive result, showing a significant difference stating that using the authentic game-based learning approach is an effective learning approach in developing the students' scientific inquiry skills.