Development of a Game-Based Mathematics Learning Medium for Third-Grade Elementary School Students

Abstract

This research and development study aimed to produce a mathematics learning medium based on the snakes-and-ladders game for third-grade elementary students and to determine its feasibility. The study was prompted by field data showing that 62% of third-grade students at SDN Reberas had difficulty completing mathematics tasks, along with the absence of game-based media in classroom instruction. The study used a Research and Development (R&D) approach and adopted the 4-D model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate), but it was limited to the Development stage due to time constraints. Data were collected through questionnaires completed by one media expert, one material expert, five students in a small-group trial, and 16 students in a large-group trial, then analyzed descriptively using qualitative and quantitative techniques. The resulting product consists of a game board, dice, pawns, question cards, challenge cards, fortune cards, and a teacher guidebook covering whole-number arithmetic operations. Validation showed the medium was highly feasible, with mean scores of 3.50 from the media expert, 3.67 from the material expert, 3.70 from the small-group trial, and 3.80 from the large-group trial, indicating it is feasible for elementary mathematics instruction. This study is limited by its reliance on a single media and material expert, a large-group trial of only 16 students, single-school implementation, and content restricted to whole-number arithmetic.