STUDENTS' METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE THROUGH GAME-BASED LEARNING IN GRADE 10 SCIENCE

Game-based learning is an educational approach designed to enhance students' understanding of a subject while engaging them in interactive and guided experiences. This study investigated the effects of game-based learning on students’ metacognitive awareness and academic performance in Grade 10 science. Specifically, it aimed to determine the students’ level of metacognitive awareness when exposed to game-based and non-game-based learning in terms of declarative, procedural, and conditional knowledge; assess academic performance through pretest, posttest, and retention test; and analyze significant differences between the two groups. A quasi-experimental research design was used, involving two groups: one exposed to non-game-based learning and the other to game-based learning. Instruments included both academic and non-academic assessments. Descriptive statistics such as weighted means, percentages, and standard deviation were used, while ANCOVA determined significant differences in metacognitive awareness and academic performance. Results showed that both groups improved in metacognitive awareness after the intervention, with the GBL group showing slightly higher posttest means across all subskills, indicating better organization, strategy monitoring, and study management. In academic performance, GBL students scored higher than non-GBL students, though both groups’ mean percentage scores remained below the "meet expectations" level. Retention rates were also higher among GBL students, suggesting that interactive learning strengthens long-term recall in science. Overall, game-based learning can enhance metacognitive awareness and support academic performance but may require further reinforcement to reach proficiency.