GAME-BASED LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN TEACHING GRADE 7 SCIENCE

Game – based learning is a process of inquiry that requires asking questions, observing, data exploration and data manipulation. It requires learning to apply and generalize scientific knowledge. Creating such learning environment requires engaging learners in different games. Active engagement in learning activities develops conceptual understanding and motivates students to seek further information. The study described the game – based learning activities in teaching science as assessed by science teachers relative to motivation, application, feedback and reinforcement. It also analyzed significant differences in the teachers' assessments on the game – based activities according to profile variables. The extent by which the learning competencies were achieved and the constraints met using game – based learning activities were determined. The descriptive method was used with the questionnaire as the main instrument to gather important data complimented by interview. Respondents were 35 science teachers in and the statistical tools used were weighted mean, frequency, t-test and F-test were the statistical tools used in this study. The findings revealed that majority of secondary science teachers in Oblate Schools were female, single, early adult with bachelor's degree. The science teachers strongly agreed that game – based learning activities utilized in application component. There is a significant difference between the descriptions of game – based learning activities when grouped according to age. The learning competencies in Biology and Physics are achieved to a moderate extent but slightly achieved in Earth Science and Biology. Insufficient materials and individual differences of the students were constraints met by science teachers.