THE EFFECT OF GAMIFIED LEARNING ON STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT IN YORUBA LANGUAGE

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of gamification on the academic achievement of students in Yoruba compared to the traditional lecture method. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving one experimental and one control group comprising 90 senior secondary class 2 students from two schools in Education District 5 of Lagos State. A Yoruba language achievement test (YLAT) was used for data collection, validated by experts, and tested for reliability with a coefficient of 0.76. Both groups underwent pretests, four weeks of treatment, and post-tests. The experimental group, exposed to gamification, achieved a mean score of 29.18, significantly higher than the control group's mean score of 12.73. The result of the ANCOVA test on the post-test achievement scores showed that the difference in the performance between the students in the experimental class and control class was significant, F (1, 87) = 176.403; p < 0.05. This implies the statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in achievement between the gamification and lecture groups. These findings underscore the efficacy of gamification in enhancing students’ achievement in the Yoruba language. It was recommended that teachers should integrate gamified elements into Yoruba language instruction to enhance students’ engagement and motivation; as a result, institutions should provide professional development opportunities for teachers to effectively implement gamified learning strategies.