Abstract:

This study investigated the effect of games and simulations on the gender related differences in mathematics achievement and interest of students in geometry. The sample group consisted of 287 senior secondary school (SSS I) students comprising 158 boys and 129 girls from six out of the 46 secondary schools in Gwer-West LGA of Benue state, Nigeria. The study adopted a pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design, where intact classes were assigned to experimental and control groups. Data generated using Geometry Achievement Test (GAT) and Geometry Interest Inventory (GII) were analyzed using descriptive statistics to answer research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to test the hypotheses. Findings reveal that male and female students taught using games, and simulations did not differ significantly both in achievement and in interest. It was recommended among others that mathematics teacher should always use relevant games and simulations in teaching mathematics concepts but paying equal attention to the learning needs of both male and female students, and that school administrators should be encouraged to provide local games that could facilitate meaningful learning of mathematics.

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