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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN ENGINEERING,

MANAGEMENT & APPLIED SCIENCE (IJLTEMAS)

ISSN 2278-2540 | DOI: 10.51583/IJLTEMAS | Volume XV, Issue IV, April 2026

Battlemath: The Ultimate E-Learning Experience for Grade 5

Elementary Mathematics

John Carl L. Gumera, Jomar B. Jacob, Ivaln D. Laguisma, Marven M. Rosal, Ruissan A. Ramos

Information Technology, Pangasinan State University, Alaminos City Campus

DOI: https://doi.org/10.51583/IJLTEMAS.2026.150400068

Received: 12 April 2026; Accepted: 17 April 2026; Published: 08 May 2026

ABSTRACT

It is basic mathematics which is the critical foundation that gives the predictability of the overall success of a

student during his or her whole course of study. The delivery of knowledge in the contemporary educational

setup entails the application of many different modalities of learning, ranging from simple printed handouts to

complicated computerized programs. More importantly, the active learning process is not limited to the school

environment, but it continuously goes on even at home. This paper provides a comprehensive developmental

history and systematic analysis of BattleMath, which is a narrative-based mobile application designed as a

universal learning tool in Grade 5 mathematics. The educational tool has been carefully created in consideration

of the requirement of the national curriculum with reference to the Agile Development Model and the Mechanics-

Dynamics-Aesthetics (MDA) model. The application directly tackles the psychological obstacle of math anxiety

by creatively encoding the abstract division problems into a thrilling hero-villain experience. The player takes

the adventurous role of Arlo, and he must successfully defeat the antagonist, Chronus, by being consistently

accurate in his mathematical calculations. The researcher performed a detailed descriptive study to test the

prototype, which involved gathering the necessary assessment data of Grade 5 students and their teachers at

Maawi Elementary School, which served as the primary research site. It was found that the application has high

technical quality, achieving an Excellent rating on Usability and a Very Good rating on Functional Suitability.

Such highly beneficial acceptability scores indicate that BattleMath is acceptable and usable as a supplementary

tool alongside conventional teaching strategies in various primary learning environments.

Keywords: BattleMath, Mobile Learning, Grade 5 Mathematics, Agile Model, Gamification, E-Learning

Assessment

INTRODUCTION

Modern education poses a dynamic challenge to educators and learners. Without guaranteed access to physical

classrooms, teachers must find other ways of ensuring that students remain engaged as they learn complex

subjects. Technology is one of the mediators. Game-based learning has emerged as a vital method for dismantling

traditional psychological barriers to learning mathematics

[8]

. This paper introduces BattleMath, which is a

specialized tool that applies to Grade 5 classroom settings to deal with the problem of math anxiety. The data

obtained to carry out this study was collected at Maawi Elementary School in order to pilot the prototype, yet

the system rationale and alignment of the curriculum is equivalent to the overall Grade 5 education setup.

The primary objective of this research is closing the gap between classroom instruction and practice at home

through mobile technology. Narrative is currently recognized as one of the most essential components of serious

games

[10]

; without it, educational activities will look like detached tasks. The student in BattleMath has the role

of the hero, Arlo, who fights with the villain, Chronus, using mathematical accuracy. This approach aligns with

modern techniques for supporting narrative design, ensuring the story remains central to the educational

experience

[4]

. This makes sure that the learners are fully immersed in the story, as assuming a character's role

directly involves the player in the results

[11]

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Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to develop an interactive e-learning platform that utilizes game-based learning to

serve as an acceptable and usable supplementary tool for Grade 5 students. Specifically, the study aims to:

1. To create a storyline for the proposed mobile game application, making learning mathematics

more engaging for students.

2. To create game mechanics that promote active learning and problem-solving skills in

mathematics.

3. To determine the acceptance level of the developed gamified app platform among students and

teachers for Grade 5 students.

METHODOLOGY

This study utilized a descriptive research design to measure the effectiveness of BattleMath. To build the

software, the researchers applied the Agile Development Model. Agile techniques enable software enhancement

through specific iterations known as 'Sprints'

[1]

Figure 1. Agile Methodology

This incremental design would be critical in streamlining the math engine where every division would be correct

with the exact Grade 5 requirements of the Department of Education.

Technological Architecture BattleMath is based on a powerful Android architecture. The battle system and 2D

pixel-art were executed in the Unity Game Engine. The program is written in C# scripts to manage the logic of

the game, specifically the Random Number Generator (RNG) that provides students with a different set of

problems each session. SQLite is used to manage data, such as the progress of local players, including levels

unlocked and badges earned. This is an essential local storage solution; it would allow the app to operate in even

rural settings where internet access is imperfect, which is a key factor of inclusive education.

The development process utilized the Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics (MDA) framework designed for

elementary-level software

[12]

. Such a design enabled the researchers to relate design to emotion, visualizing how

rules of the game (Mechanics) provoke player behavior (Dynamics) to generate an emotional investment

(Aesthetics). The aesthetic layer of the game employs specific storytelling techniques to create an engaging

narrative for the target age group

[6]

The ISO/IEC 25010 standard

[5]

was utilized for the assessment of software quality with eight characteristics.

The data were provided by a total of 44 respondents including students, teachers at Maawi Elementary School.

Given that the primary users of the application are minors, strict ethical guidelines were followed during the

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evaluation phase. Prior to data collection, informed consent was secured from the parents or legal guardians of

all participating Grade 5 students, alongside institutional approval from the administration of Maawi Elementary

School. To ensure the protection of child data, no sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) was required

to operate the application. Furthermore, leveraging BattleMath's offline-first architecture, all gameplay progress,

assessment metrics, and localized data were stored securely on the individual test devices using the SQLite

database, entirely eliminating the risk of unauthorized external access or cloud-based data breaches. Competitive

leaderboards were implemented specifically because they have been shown to enhance academic performance

in young students

[2]

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The development phase successfully yielded a robust mobile application engineered to facilitate complex, multi-

step division logic. The outcomes of the assessment show that the target age cohort thought that the technical

design was stable, responsive, and intuitive. One of the findings of this research is that the problem of students

struggling with mathematics can be mitigated by providing visually stimulating immediate feedback. In the battle

mode of BattleMath, the system examines what the student is typing, and a real-time presentation is shown when

the correct answer is entered, triggering an animation of the hero attacking the opponent. The immediate

feedback loop provided by these battle animations serves to balance the learning experience through the

application of Self-Determination Theory

[3]

The primary means of engagement with the student is outlined in the Use Case narratives, which trace the

detailed steps the player takes to follow the math material.

Table 1a. Use Case Narrative: Play

Step

Player Action

System Response

Displays Main Menu.

Taps/Touches Home button.

Displays the main menu or another section of the game.

Table 1b. Use Case Narrative: Battle

Step

Player Action

System Response

Displays Main Menu.

Taps/Touches "Play" Button.

Displays available stages and levels based on the

player's progress.

Taps/Touches specific stage or level to play.

Loads the selected gameplay environment.

Starts the battle to play.

Saves the player's progress.

Table 1c. Use Case Narrative: Exit

Step

Player Action

System Response

Taps/Touches Exit option from the main menu or during

gameplay.

Prompts the player to confirm their choice

to exit the game.

Taps/Touches Confirm Button.

Saves the player's progress.

Closes the game.

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As illustrated in Figure 1, the development of BattleMath followed an iterative Agile Software Development

Model. During the Planning and Requirements Analysis phases, the research team identified the specific multi-

step division requirements aligned with the Grade 5 Department of Education curriculum. The Design and

Development phases involved creating the 2D pixel-art battle system in the Unity Game Engine and

programming the C# logic for the Random Number Generator (RNG). Finally, the Testing phase was conducted

incrementally, allowing the team to gather immediate feedback and refine the software mechanics before the

final Release.

Table 2. Overall Acceptability Test Result

The summary of the evaluation is shown in Table 2. The weighted mean of Functional Suitability was 4.05,

interpreted as Very Good. This indicator proves that BattleMath satisfies the needs of the user in terms of content

accuracy. It is worth noting that the Web-Based Dashboard added for the teacher also contributed to this score

because now teachers can keep track of progress and update the question bank in real-time without the need to

re-install the application. The validity of any educational tool hinges on its merit, and it must be managed with

necessary ease, as demonstrated in

[9]

Usability received the best rating in the study at 4.41 ("Excellent"). This implies that the interface is well-geared

towards 10-to-11-year-olds. The results indicate that students are able to determine how to play with practically

no guidance. This high rating justifies the decision to utilize standard.

Portability was also rated highly at 4.25 (Excellent). This suggests that BattleMath can be regarded as an efficient

substitute for traditional pen-and-paper worksheets. This supports the finding that digital solutions can

effectively perform tasks traditionally handled on paper

[7]

While BattleMath demonstrated high usability and functional suitability, several methodological limitations

must be acknowledged. This study utilized a descriptive design focused primarily on software quality evaluation

(ISO/IEC 25010) rather than the direct, quantitative measurement of mathematical anxiety reduction or pre- and

post-test learning gains. Additionally, the sample size was limited to 44 respondents from a single institution,

Maawi Elementary School, which restricts the external validity of the findings. The highly positive acceptability

scores may also be partially influenced by the novelty effect of introducing an interactive, game-based digital

medium into the classroom. Consequently, these results confirm the application's technical readiness and user

acceptance, but further empirical study is required to validate its long-term academic efficacy.

CONCLUSION

The study findings conclude as follows: BattleMath is acceptable and usable as a supplementary Grade 5

Mathematics learning tool. Gamification based on narratives provides an engaging, usable alternative format for

students to practice multi-step division. The high rating of 4.41 (Excellent) in Usability is empirical evidence

that young learners can use complex software when the UI is constructed with consideration of their cognitive

Acceptability

Description

Functionality Suitability

Performance Efficiency

Compatibility

Usability

Reliability

Security

Maintainability

Portability

4.05

4.15

4.02

4.41

4.06

3.98

4.13

4.25

Very Good

Excellent

Very Good

Excellent

Average Weighted Mean

4.13

Very Good

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capability. Furthermore, the Agile Development Model helped the researchers to develop logic iteratively until

it acquired a Very Good functionality rating (4.05).

On the basis of these conclusions, the following recommendations can be offered:

For Schools: Make BattleMath a formal auxiliary Blended Learning material. To make screen time productive,

teachers are required to specify battle stages relevant to the lesson of the day.

For Developers: The system already has a web dashboard on which content can be tracked and updated; thus,

further enhancement with Predictive Analytics is needed in the future. Instead of just displaying scores, the

dashboard ought to analyze gameplay data to identify students at risk by highlighting those who are not

progressing well with specific mechanics (e.g., remainders or steps of long division) and intervene before they

fail a formal test.

Future Research: To build upon the foundational acceptability and usability findings of this study, future research

must transition from descriptive evaluation to quasi-experimental designs to measure true academic impact.

Specifically, an empirical study spanning 4–6 weeks should be conducted to evaluate actual learning gains in

division skills, utilizing a pre-test and post-test methodology alongside a control group assigned to traditional

worksheet practice. Furthermore, the quantitative usability metrics gathered in this study should be supplemented

with qualitative thematic analysis. Conducting structured teacher interviews and student focus groups will

provide deeper, explanatory insights into why the application's usability is highly rated, while also pinpointing

any specific game mechanics that may still cause learner frustration, thereby guiding the next iteration of Agile

development.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The completion of this study would not have been possible without the support and contributions of several

individuals who played important roles through its development. The proponents would like to give their

gratitude to all those who helped bring this project to fruition.

To the proponents Capstone adviser, Sir Carlo Genster P. Camposagrado who provided direction and clarity,

which allowed the researchers to better understand and improve their work his support and patience serve as a

successful completion of this study.

To the proponent’s adviser, Sir Ruissan A. Ramos who gave us invaluable advice and helped us through every

stage of the project.

To the chairman and panelist of the project , who assisted in further improving and refining their system.

To our parents, who gave us the strength and courage to persevere and complete their research; and to the

almighty God for granting strength, and wisdom to overcome challenges and successfully complete this study.

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