IMPACTS OF SIMULATION-GAMES ON TEACHING AND LEARNING MATHEMATICS

This study sought to determine the impact of games and simulation environment on students’ achievement in attitudes to mathematics in secondary school. A total of ten thousand five hundred and thirty five (10535) students in all the twenty one (21) senior secondary schools in Ilorin-south Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria constituted the population of the study. All senior secondary school students two (SS II) in six (6) randomly selected schools totaled one hundred and eighty (180) in Ilorin-south Local Government Area of Kwara State were used as the sample of the study. The finding reveals that students’ poor academic achievement in mathematics is partly due to the method of teaching used. Also, the findings revealed that, the use of games and simulation environment led to improve achievement and positive attitude towards mathematics. The study concluded that teachers’ use of stimulating teaching methods would go a long way in sustaining and motivating students’ interest in learning mathematics. Hence, it was recommended among others that teachers should be empowered to use games and simulations in teaching mathematics in our secondary schools.