Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 50 no. 7 (2025)

Efficacy of Game-Based Versus Traditional Teaching Approaches on Literacy and Numeracy Outcomes

Roozie Quea Elkanah Insong Idlana

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

Education continually evolves to meet the diverse learning needs of children, particularly those outside formal schooling. Traditional, teacher-centered instruction often limits engagement and active participation, prompting the need for innovative strategies that foster meaningful learning. This study examines the efficacy of the Game-Based Teaching Approach (GBTA) compared with the Traditional Teaching Approach (TTA) in enhancing literacy and numeracy skills among out-of-school children aged 8–12 in Barangay Abanico, Puerto Princesa City. Using a quasiexperimental design, the study involved two groups: the experimental group received literacy and numeracy lessons through GBTA, while the control group received TTA instruction. Data were gathered through pre- and post-tests and structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and percentage computations. Results indicated that learners exposed to GBTA demonstrated greater improvement in literacy and numeracy performance, along with higher levels of motivation, engagement, and collaboration. These findings suggest that GBTA provides a more interactive and effective learning environment than traditional methods, highlighting its potential as a dynamic instructional strategy to address learning gaps, promote active participation, and cultivate positive attitudes toward literacy and numeracy development among out-of-school youth.



References:

  1. Aflatuni, N. (2022). Primary school games and songs. Sorena Publications.
  2. American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Author.
  3. Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
  4. Barab, S., Warren, S., & Ingram-Goble, A. (2009). Conceptual play spaces. In R. E. Ferdig (Ed.), Handbook of research on effective electronic gaming in education (Vol. 3, pp. 989–1009). IGI Global.
  5. Chen, C. H., Wang, Y. C., & Hong, J. C. (2019). A study on the efficacy of game-based teaching for improving learning achievements and motivation. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 22(1), 252–263.
  6. Chen, Y. C., et al. (2019). Learning environments with different levels of technological engagement: A comparison of game-based, video-based, and traditional instruction on students’ learning. Interactive Learning Environments. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1635491
  7. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  8. Culajara, A. (2022). Innovative ways to deliver instruction in physical education. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 22(1), 188–195.
  9. Department of Education (DepEd). (2016). K to 12 basic education curriculum guide. Department of Education, Philippines.
  10. Educause. (2014). 7 things you should know about games and learning. https://library.educause.edu/resources/2014/3/7-things-you-should-know-about-games-and-learning
  11. Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Palgrave Macmillan.
  12. Gee, J. P. (2007). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
  13. Guan, Y. (2022). The application of game teaching assistance system in college English teaching. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 13(2), 301–308. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1302.16
  14. Hafeez, M. (2022). Comparative study of game-based teaching and traditional classroom learning. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 17(1), 80–93. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v17i01.12608
  15. Hafeez, M. (2022). Effects of game-based teaching in comparison to traditional learning to provide an effective learning environment—A comparative review. Contemporary Educational Researches Journal, 12(2), 89–105.
  16. Jagust, T., Boticki, I., & So, H. J. (2018). Examining competitive, collaborative and adaptive gamification in young learners’ math learning. Computers & Education, 125, 444–457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.06.022
  17. Justo, R. (2022). Game-based teaching for student engagement: A paradigm shift in blended learning education. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE), 15(2), 1–12.
  18. Kalogiannakis, M., Papadakis, S., & Zourmpakis, A.-I. (2021). Gamification in science education: A systematic review of the literature. Education Sciences, 11(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010022
  19. Kapur, M., & Bielaczyc, K. (2012). Designing for productive failure. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 21, 45–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2011.591727
  20. Kim, B., & Bastani, R. (2020). What is the value of game-based teaching? EdCan Network. https://www.edcan.ca/articles/game-based-learning/
  21. Lee, J. J., & Hammer, J. (2011). Gamification in education: What, how, and why bother? Academic Exchange Quarterly, 15(2), 146–151.
  22. Lewis, C., Wardrip-Fruin, N., & Whitehead, J. (2012). Motivational game design patterns of’ ville games. In Proceedings of the International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games (pp. 172–179). ACM Press. https://doi.org/10.1145/2282338.2282373
  23. Nasreen, A. (2019). The world of a school principal: A qualitative study of secondary school principals’ selection, capability, and current practices in the Province of Punjab. Bulletin of Education and Research, 41(2), 161–179.
  24. Nicholas. (2023). 11 benefits of working in the game-based teaching environment. LMS Hero. https://lmshero.com/benefits-of-game-based-learning/
  25. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2019). PISA 2018 results (Volume I): What students know and can do. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/5f07c754-en
  26. Ormrod, J. E. (2020). Human learning (8th ed.). Pearson Education.
  27. Papastergiou, M. (2009). Digital game-based teaching in high school computer science education: Impact on educational efficacy and student motivation. Computers & Education, 52(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2008.06.004
  28. Prensky, M. (2001). Digital game-based teaching. Computers in Entertainment, 1(1), 21–21. https://doi.org/10.1145/950566.950596
  29. Prensky, M. (2001). Digital game-based teaching. McGraw-Hill.
  30. Richter, G., Raban, D. R., & Rafaeli, S. (2015). Studying gamification: The effect of rewards and incentives on motivation. In T. Reiners & L. C. Wood (Eds.), Gamification in education and business (pp. 21–46). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10208-5_2
  31. Schrader, C. (2023). Serious games and motivation: A systematic literature review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 71(2), 411–435. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-023-10199-8
  32. Shute, V. J., & Ke, F. (2012). Games, learning, and assessment. In R. Azevedo & V. Aleven (Eds.), International handbook of metacognition and learning technologies (pp. 433–452). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5546-3_29
  33. Sitzmann, T. (2011). A meta-analytic examination of the instructional efficacy of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology, 64(2), 489–528. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01190.x
  34. Squire, K. (2011). Video games and learning: Teaching and participatory culture in the digital age. Teachers College Press.
  35. Tan, K. W., & Hidaya, N. A. (2023). Serious games for environmental education. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369713345_Serious_games_for_environmental_education
  36. Tsekleves, E., Cosmas, J., & Aggoun, A. (2014). Game-based teaching for health literacy: A review of the evidence. British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(2), 427–443. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12040
  37. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
  38. Yadav, A. K., & Ovelere, S. S. (2020). Contextualized mobile game-based teaching application for computing education. Education and Information Technologies, 26, 2539–2562. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-01037-3

Tools


Copyright © 2026  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic