MATHEMAGIC SQUARE PUZZLE: AN INTERVENTION IN IMPROVING BASIC OPERATION SKILLS ON INTEGERS

Abstract

Basic operation skills on integers are crucial for building a strong mathematical foundation. However, many students in early schooling show poor performance in these fundamental skills. To address this issue, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of using the MatheMagic Square Puzzle as an intervention to enhance integer operation skills among Grade 7 students at Kapalong National High School. The study had a total of 114 students, and it employed quantitative research with a one-group pre-test post-test design and purposive sampling. Results revealed that the overall mean score level of basic operation skills on integers of the experimental group in the pre-test is very low, which is interpreted as it did not meet the expectation. While results in the post-test revealed from the overall mean is average, which is interpreted as satisfactory. Results indicate significant difference between the pre-test and post-test of the experimental group shows that there is a significant difference in the performance levels of the experimental group before and after the intervention. The study revealed a significant improvement in students' ability to solve basic operations on integers. This improvement proved the effectiveness of the MatheMagic Square Puzzle intervention and proved it to be a valuable tool in mathematics education, specifically for teaching integers. The researchers suggest implementing MatheMagic Square Puzzle widely for teaching basic integer operations in Grade 7 due to its effectiveness in improving student performance. They also suggest studying its effectiveness across various grades and mathematical concepts to expand its impact. KEYWORDS: MatheMagic Square Puzzle, Basic Operation on Integers, Intervention, Grade 7 students, Philippines