Abstract

This study aims to analyze in-depth students' experiences using board games specifically designed for learning sequences and series at the junior high school level. This study adopted a phenomenological method to explore students' perceptions, motivations, and interactions during the learning process. The board game not only presents a summary of formulas and practice problems but also emphasizes visual aspects and interactivity as part of the media content integrated into the learning. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and student reflections after the board game learning session. The results showed that the attractive visual design and interactive elements of the board game increased enthusiasm, engagement, and a more meaningful understanding of social arithmetic concepts. Students felt more motivated and active in group discussions and were able to relate mathematics material to real-life situations through play. These findings emphasize the importance of innovative game-based learning media that emphasizes visual aspects and interactivity to create enjoyable and effective learning experiences.

Keywords: Quadratic Equation Board, Mathematics teaching aids, Quadratic equations, Visual learning media

INTRODUCTION

Global mathematics education currently faces significant challenges in fostering students' interest, motivation, and understanding of abstract concepts, particularly sequences and series (Booth, 2021). The transformation of 21st-century education demands learning innovations that focus not only on knowledge transfer but also on developing critical thinking skills (Ng, 2020; Setyo et al., n.d.; Silius, 2011), collaboration, and creativity. One approach gaining increasing attention is the integration of game-based learning media, which has been empirically proven to increase student engagement and motivation in various countries (Gashaj, 2021; Pollok, 2021). Globally, the use of board games as a learning medium has become an innovative trend that supports the creation of interactive, enjoyable (Afifah & Putri, 2021), and meaningful learning environments, in line with developments in educational technology and the needs of today's digital generation.

However, in Indonesia and many other countries, mathematics instruction in junior high schools is still dominated by conventional, teacher-centered methods. Students often struggle to understand sequences and series due to their abstract nature, lack of visualization, and a lack of contextual and interactive learning experiences. The main challenges faced are low student motivation and active participation, limited learning time, and a lack of media that accommodates visual and kinesthetic learning needs (Dwi Octaviani, Indrawatiningsih, & Afifah, 2021; Silius, 2011; Villanti, 2017). In addition, teachers also face obstacles in developing learning media that are effective (Alexiou, 2020), interesting, and appropriate to the characteristics of sequence and series material, so that the learning process tends to be monotonous and less relevant to everyday life.