Designing and integrating mobile Damath: A digital game-based instructional innovation to enhance students’ mathematical performance and engagement in integer operations

This study examined the effectiveness of a mobile Damath game as a digital instructional design tool to enhance Grade 8 students’ performance and engagement in integer operations. Conducted at Badas National High School, City of Mati, Davao Oriental, Philippines, the research utilized a quasi-experimental design involving 60 students equally assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group learned through the mobile Damath game, while the control group received traditional instruction. Data gathered using a validated mathematics achievement test and an AI-assisted engagement survey were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test, and Pearson correlation. Results showed that both groups started at the Beginning proficiency level; however, the experimental group achieved a statistically significant improvement (p= 0.004) and advanced to the Developing level. Although engagement levels were high, no significant correlation was found between engagement and performance. The findings highlight the potential of digital game-based learning as an innovative instructional design approach that supports active, contextualized, and technology-driven learning. A strategic action plan was formulated to institutionalize mobile Damath integration in mathematics instruction, aligned with the BEDP 2030 and MATATAG Agenda for inclusive and future-ready education.