Improving Classroom Participation Through Interactive Game-based Activities

Ep no and title:

Writing Action Research prompt page:

A. Observe/Notice
- I observed that students easily get bored during lectures if the lessons were being spoon-fed to
them.
B. Reflect
- I think my students are too intelligent that they don’t sustain interest upon listening to a new
topic being discussed because they assume they can still learn it in their own way instead of
listening to lectures.
C. Plan of Action
As a teacher, I will create strategies to improve my students’ participation during lectures. My
intervention will consist of game-based activities to cope up with my students’ interests. The
intervention will not be introduced, but applied directly to the class without notice. I will work
with my co-student teachers to gather ideas about interactive games that intelligent students
would love to engage with. I will need materials such as Instructional Materials that are colorful,
color-coded, and numerical-coded to successfully implement a usual game-based interaction
activity.

D. References

Action Research Proposal

Education has undergone significant transformations in recent years, with a growing emphasis on
student engagement and active participation. Traditional lecture-based teaching methods often struggle
to capture the attention of students and nurture a dynamic learning environment. Recognizing the need
for innovative approaches to enhance classroom participation, this action research focuses on the
integration of interactive game-based activities as a strategy to promote student engagement and
improve overall participation in the classroom setting.

This study gives significance to active student involvement which is crucial for meaningful learning
experiences. Interactive game-based activities provide a large opportunity to create an immersive and
stimulating learning environment, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical
scenarios. Conducting these activities engage students’ competitiveness, collaboration, and evaluation
from immediate feedback, which have been shown to enhance motivation and participation in various
educational settings (Gee, 2003; Steinkuehler, 2006).

Moreover, contemporary students, often labeled as "digital natives," are accustomed to interactive and
technology-driven experiences in their daily lives. Integrating game-based activities aligns with their
preferences and can capitalize on their familiarity with digital platforms (Prensky, 2001). This approach is
in line with the idea of leveraging technology to enhance education, catering to the diverse learning
styles and preferences of students (Johnson et al., 2013).

Several studies have already demonstrated the positive impact of incorporating game-based learning
strategies on student engagement and academic performance (Hamari et al., 2016; Clark et al., 2016).
However, there is a need for context-specific research that explores the effectiveness of interactive
game-based activities within the unique dynamics of a particular classroom setting.

This action research aims to investigate the following key aspects such as the impact of participation, on
how interactive game-based activities influences student participation levels compared to traditional
teaching methods. It also aims to understand students' attitudes and perceptions towards the use of
game-based activities in the classroom and how these perceptions correlate with their engagement.
Also, the impact of interactive game-based activities on students' understanding of the subject matter
and retention of knowledge. Lastly, to explore the challenges and opportunities teachers encounter
when integrating game-based activities into their pedagogical practices.

By addressing these aspects, this research aims to contribute valuable insights into the efficacy of using
interactive game-based activities as a means to improve classroom participation. The findings have the
potential to inform educators, curriculum developers, and educational policymakers on effective
strategies to create more engaging and participatory learning environments.

References:

Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Computers in
Entertainment (CIE), 1(1), 20-20.

Steinkuehler, C. (2006). Massively multiplayer online videogaming as participation in a Discourse. Mind,

Culture, and Activity, 13(1), 38-52.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.

Johnson, L., Adams, S., and Cummins, M. (2013). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2013 K-12 Edition. The New
Media Consortium.

Hamari, J., Koivisto, J., & Sarsa, H. (2016). Does gamification work?--a literature review of empirical
studies on gamification. 2014 47th Hawaii international conference on system sciences, 3025-3034.

Clark, D. B., Tanner-Smith, E. E., & Killingsworth, S. S. (2016). Digital games, design, and learning: A
systematic review and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 86(1), 79-122.

AR Questions

1. How does the integration of interactive game-based activities influence student participation
levels in comparison to traditional lecture-based teaching methods?
2. What are the attitudes and perceptions of students towards the use of game-based activities in
the classroom?
3. To what extent do students retain knowledge acquired through interactive game-based activities
compared to traditional teaching methods?
4. What challenges do teachers encounter when integrating interactive game-based activities into
their pedagogical practices?

Proposed Innovation, Intervention Strategy

This action research will explore on improving students’ participation through interactive game-
based activities. The class will first be divided in four groups to enhance by-group engagement
and participation, and also this will be much easier to score the students if they are grouped
which will enhance competition. Then the first game-based activity will be a Puzzle Me, where
students in groups will be given a Puzzled picture that are cut in different shapes and sizes in
Difficult Level which they will solve for them to have an idea of the lesson we are going to
discuss later. Then after the first activity, we will now proceed in the second game-based activity
which is a coding game. Equipped with the idea that these students are Grade 10 intelligent
learners who have good problem-solving skills, the game will be coded through numbers into
letters from A-Z, the first group to get the correct answer will win per round. Then during the
lecture, participation will be increased after the teacher elicits answers and students from
groups gets the correct answer which will add into their group points. The overall winner will
either get prizes provided by the teacher or additional points for quizzes.

Action Research Methods

The participants of the study will be the Grade 10 – Rutherford students of University Laboratory
School in University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Cotabato.

Data Gathering Procedure

The action researcher will send a letter of permission for approval in the school’s principal of
University Laboratory School to conduct the innovation. The researcher will then conduct the
innovation without notice to measure its effectiveness in improving students’ participation
through interactive game-based activities.

Data Analysis Plan

The researcher will compare the students’ level of participation between applying interactive
game-based activities and traditional spoon-feed lectures. The researcher will also compare
students’ scores in quizzes from the before and after of innovation. The researcher will also
answer the Research Questions to further study about the implementation of improving
students’ participation in game-based activities.

Summary
This action research seeks to enhance students’ engagement and participation through the integration of
interactive game-based activities. Acknowledging the limitations of traditional lecture-based methods,
the study emphasizes the importance of active student involvement for meaningful learning
experiences. Leveraging the immersive and stimulating nature of game-based activities, the research
aims to explore their impact on participation, student attitudes, learning outcomes, and the challenges
and opportunities faced by teachers in implementation.

Referencing contemporary educational theories, the study aligns with the preferences of "digital native"
students and aims to leverage technology to cater to diverse learning styles. While existing studies
demonstrate positive outcomes of game-based learning, this research addresses the need for context-
specific investigations to assess the effectiveness of interactive game-based activities in a particular
classroom setting.

The proposed intervention involves dividing the class into groups for enhanced engagement and ease of
scoring. Two game-based activities, Puzzle Me and a coding game, are designed to stimulate problem-
solving skills and competitive collaboration. The subsequent lecture incorporates group points to further
boost participation, and overall winners may receive rewards or additional points for quizzes.

The action research will involve Grade 10 students at the University Laboratory School in the University
of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Cotabato. The data gathering procedure includes obtaining permission
from the school's principal and implementing the innovation without prior notice to measure its
effectiveness.

The data analysis plan encompasses both quantitative and qualitative methods. It aims to compare
participation levels between interactive game-based activities and traditional lectures, assess quiz scores
before and after the innovation, and answer specific research questions related to the implementation of
game-based activities.

In conclusion, this action research endeavors to contribute valuable insights into the efficacy of using
interactive game-based activities to enhance classroom participation. The findings have the potential to
inform educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers, offering effective strategies for creating
more engaging and participatory learning environments.

Cost Estimate

ITEMS/DESCRIPTION ESTIMATED COST

A. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING EXPENSES (MOE)
1. Supplies and Materials/ Printing 300
2. Load 100
B. MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES
a.) Prizes
1. Snacks 150

Grand Total 550.00

The results of the study will be analyzed, compared, and evaluated. It will be distributed to the principal
and to other Grade 10 teachers to serve as a reference in encountering improvements within increasing
students’ participation through interactive game-based activities.

Upon writing the action research plan, It took me a long time to brain storm on what is the most
concerning issue in the classroom that needs to be solved. Then I remember that the problem is that my
students are too intelligent that they sometimes don’t give attention to listen during lectures because
they have incorporated a learning strategy on their own. Then I thought about making a one-size-fits all
strategy that students will simultaneously depend on, and that would be game-based interactive
activities.

This action research required enough time, patience, analyzing skills, and effort to fully come up with an
effective innovation for the students. It also needs to be creative since this is game-based so students
would become interested and competitive during the activities.

In order to be a skilled-teacher researcher, I still need to improve in creating game-based activities in my

innovation to match my students’ level of interest of participation. That would mean, more difficult and
logical-thinking activities with a twist.