EFFICACY OF INTERACTIVE PUZZLE LEARNING GAMES ON EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF UPPER BASIC II STUDENTS IN BASIC SCIENCE IN GWER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigated the effect of interactive puzzle learning games on emotional intelligence of upper Basic II students in Basic Science in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria using quasi experimental non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group design. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population of this study was 3,482 upper basic II students in the study area comprising 1,692 males and 1,790 females in public schools. A sample of 200 students comprising 94 males and 106 females upper basic II obtained through multi-stage sampling procedure participated in the study. Basic Science Emotional Intelligence Scale (BSEIS) constructed by the researchers was the instrument used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts in Faculty of Education, Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi. To determine the reliability of the instrument, a trial-test was conducted on 35 students in a public school that was not part of the sampled schools and it yielded 0.85 reliability coefficient through Cronbach alpha. Data were collected using trained research assistants (Basic Science teachers in the sampled schools). Mean and Standard Deviations were used to answer the research questions. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed a significant difference between the mean emotional intelligence ratings of students taught using interactive puzzle learning games and those exposed to conventional teaching strategy (F (1, 197) = 202.828, ρ = 0.001 < 0.05). It was also revealed that the difference in mean emotional intelligence ratings of male and female students taught using interactive puzzle learning games was not significant (F (1,101) = .444, ρ = 0.507 > 0.05). Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that teachers should adopt interactive puzzle learning games in teaching in order to enhance students’ emotional intelligence in Basic Science since it has been found to be gender friendly