Classroom Teachers' Opinions on Game-Based Assessment in Mathematics Lesson: A Phenomenological Research

Abstract

The study aims to gather the opinions of classroom teachers about the reflections of game-based assessment in mathematics lessons in primary school. The study followed a phenomenological design, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The participants consisted of eight classroom teachers working in public schools in Edirne and Kırklareli provinces in the 2023-2024 academic year. Participants were selected using convenience sampling, a type of purposive sampling method. The study data were collected using a semi-structured interview with six questions. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Based on the findings, game-based assessment was seen as a positive development. For teachers, it allowed long-term observation and monitoring of gains that turned into behaviors. For students, it fostered learning through fun, a desire to win, active participation, competition experience, and reduced exam stress. It also contributed to more enjoyable lessons and helped reduce negative perceptions of the subject. For teachers, challenges included the inability to make unbiased evaluations and low reliability. For students, negative aspects included lack of attention, focusing too much on fun, not following the rules of the game, and ignoring instructions. In terms of the mathematics lesson itself, issues included falling behind on the material and difficulty in creating games suitable for each learning objective. To address the challenges faced during game-based assessment in mathematics lessons, several strategies were suggested, including defining clear evaluation criteria, fostering cooperation and active participation, aligning objectives, following instructions, preparing a guideline, and ensuring material completion.