Authors: Elena-Mădălina Mărăcine, Niculina-Liliana Mihăilescu
Affiliation
National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center
Abstract
Background. The conclusions of some studies and research carried out over time have highlighted the beneficial effects that chess brings to the development of the mental capacities and thinking functions of the practitioners.
Aims. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of chess practice in the intellectual/mental development of 11- 12 year old students. In the 2022-2023 school year, the experimental group studied the optional subject ”Education through Chess”, and the control group studied another optional subject.
Methods. The experimental research was carried out on a sample of 47 5th grade students from four educational units in Gorj County. The evaluation (assessment) tools were the following four validated and approved tests: the Mathematical Calculation test; the Mathematical Reasoning test; the Text Comprehension test; the Analytical Reasoning test. The quantitative analysis of the obtained results was carried out in the SPSS program version 23.
Results. The results of our research highlight the fact that, at the end of the experiment, there were significant differences between the scores obtained by the subjects of the two groups, Sig. (2-tailed) < 0.05, in favor of the experimental group.
Conclusions. The 11-12-year-old students who studied the subject “Education through Chess” made significant progress in intellectual/mental development and thinking functions.
Keywords: education, optional subject, chess, intellectual/mental development.
