MOHAMMED OLUWASHOLA ABIDAT

Economic literacy is fundamental to national development, as it equips learners with the capacity to make informed financial decisions as well as application of economic knowledge to real world situations. However, reports of poor performance in economics among Nigerian students suggest deficiencies in traditional teaching methods that emphasise rote learning over conceptual understanding. In response to this pedagogical gap, this study investigated the effect of gamified learning and technology-based instruction on the economic literacy among senior model college students in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on three theories: Gamified Learning Theory, the Anchored Instruction and Constructivist Learning Theory. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach, using a quasi-experimental pretest-post-test design for quantitative part of the study, while action research was used for the qualitative aspect of this study. The population comprised 1,523 Senior Secondary II Economics students and 32 Economics teachers across the 16 Lagos State Senior Model Colleges in the six Education Districts. Using intact classes, purposive, coin flip and incidental sampling, a sample of 263 students and four teachers was selected. Data were collected using three instruments: the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL), the Gamified and Technology-Based Learning Questionnaire (GTLQ), and the Gamified and Technology-Based Learning Interview Guide (GTLIG). The TEL and GTLQ yielded strong reliability coefficients of 0.84 and 0.92, respectively, while items in GTLIG were adjudged readable and understandable by the teachers who participated in the pilot study and that the items measured what they were purported to elicit. Nine research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), paired-sample and independent-sample t-tests, and thematic analysis of interview data. Findings from this study revealed that students’ baseline economic literacy was low (x̅ = 10.99, criterion mean = 15). Gamified learning significantly improved students’ economic literacy (F(12, 128) = 1.746, p = .024, partial η² = .141), and technology-based instruction also produced statistically significant gains (F(11, 129) = 1.665, p = .038, partial η² = .124).Students taught with gamified learning and technology-based methods outperformed peers taught through the lecture method (t (259.15) = 8.19, p < 0.05). Furthermore, teachers’ professional development significantly moderated the relationship between gamified learning coupled with technology-based instruction and students’ post-test performance in economic literacy (F = 23.76, p < 0.05). Knowledge retention scores exceeded post-test scores (t(262) = 18.95, p < 0.05), while no significant gender differences were observed (t(261) = 0.54, p > 0.05). Qualitative data confirmed that teachers valued gamified learning for its interactivity and technology-based instruction for simplifying abstract concepts. The study concludes that gamified and technology-based instructional strategies significantly enhance economic literacy and retention, independent of gender. It is then recommended that these methods be integrated into the Economics curriculum, that professional development be restructured to align with innovative pedagogy, and that schools should invest in stronger technological infrastructure.