Opinions of Primary School Teachers and Students Regarding the Use of Educational Digital Games in Educational Activities

Abstract

This study aims to determine the opinions of elementary school teachers and 3rd and 4th-grade students regarding the use of educational digital games in educational activities in the classroom. In today’s world, where technology is constantly evolving and renewing, and digital media and materials take a larger share in our lives, instructional activities are also influenced by these advancements. The case study design, which is one of the qualitative research designs, was preferred in this study and semi-structured interview forms were used for the data collection process. Interviews were conducted with 30 elementary school teachers (18 female and 12 male) working in state schools in the Kavak district of Samsun province during the 2021-2022 academic year and 30 students in the 3rd and 4th grades (15 female and 15 male) studying in those state schools. The criterion sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods, was used in selecting the study group. In this context, attention was paid to select teachers, who use educational digital games in their classrooms and are willing to participate in the research. The data obtained in the research were analyzed using the content analysis method. The results achieved in this study indicate that educational digital games used in the classroom facilitate students’ learning, increase their attention spans, and contribute to quick thinking and decision-making. Recommendations include the necessity for teachers to receive training on digital content and the importance of identifying games, which are suitable for learning objectives, before implementing in-class games.