Digital game-based learning in mathematics education at primary school level: A systematic literature review

Abstract

In recent decades, digital game-based learning (DGBL) has become a trend among scholars and practitioners in many parts of the world. Therefore, there were some systematic literature reviews in the past few years conducted to identify the trends of DGBL research with diverse subjects and educational levels, however, there is a lack of review that focuses only on mathematics education at primary school levels. This study seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of DGBL research within the context of elementary mathematics learning. Using PRISMA (2020) flow diagram, this study identified 45 articles related to the topic during the period of 2006-2023. Papers were coded and analyzed by years, regions, elementary mathematics topics, research issues, outcomes, research approaches, research design, data collection tools, game genres, and gameplay mode. The results from this systematic review identified the trends in DGBL research related to elementary mathematics learning, highlighted gaps in existing literature, provided insights, and oriented future studies on the topic. The findings of the research reveal a pronounced interest among scholars in the content topics of elementary mathematics, highlighting the research issues that attract attention, the methodologies employed in studies, and the types of games and gaming modes frequently utilized for elementary school children. The article discusses the trends of DGBL within elementary mathematics education, offering in-depth analyses and identifying research gaps that could guide future directions.