Effect of Gamified ICT Tools on Reading Fluency and Critical Thinking Skill among N.C.E. Students in Kaduna State

Areo Kelechi Goodluck, Solomon Moses, Chukwuma Doris Ifeyinwa

Abstract


This study examined the effect of gamified ICT tools on reading fluency and critical thinking skills among Nigerian Certificate in Education (N.C.E.) students in Kaduna State. The objectives were to determine how gamified ICT tools influence these competencies and address the limitations of traditional teaching methods. The study was guided by two hypotheses and employed a quasi-experimental pre-test-posttest control group design. The population comprised 10,345 N.C.E. students from the College of Education, Gidan Waya, and the Federal University of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State. A purposive target population of N.C.E. II students was selected, with a sample of 180 students obtained through stratified random sampling. The sample was divided into an experimental group (95 students) from the Federal University of Education, Zaria and a control group (90 students) from the College of Education, Gidan Waya. Two instruments were utilized namely, the Reading Fluency Assessment Tool (RFAT), with a Cronbach’s alpha reliability of 0.80, and the Critical thinking skill Assessment Scale (CTAS), adapted from the Watson-Glaser Critical thinking skill Appraisal (Wang, 2015), with a reliability coefficient of 0.76 after pilot study. The experimental group was exposed to gamified ICT tools during English comprehension lessons for eight weeks, while the control group received traditional instruction. After the intervention, a posttest was administered to both groups, and data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results revealed a significant positive effect of gamified ICT tools on reading fluency and critical thinking skills, with p-values = 0.00 for both hypotheses being less than 0.05 alpha level of significance. Based on these findings, it is recommended that educational policymakers and curriculum developers incorporate gamified ICT tools into teacher education programs to enhance learning outcomes. Additionally, workshops and training programs should be organized to equip educators with the necessary skills to effectively implement gamified ICT tools in their teaching practices.


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