Turkish Teachers’ Views on Educational Digital Games

Abstract

Focusing on the evaluation of Turkish teachers' views on educational digital games, this study adopted a case study. Utilizing interviews, the purpose of the study is to understand Turkish teachers' perceptions as well as their views about educational digital games, and consequently, to evaluate not only the usages of these games in Turkish courses but also their contributions to the instruction. Hence, the study included ten Turkish teachers, who work in İzmir province and use the educational digital contents in their courses. Through the content analysis, the study revealed that Turkish teachers have considered digital educational games as necessary in Turkish courses. The teachers utilize these games to increase the students' motivations as well as academic achievements, to make the courses more appealing and efficient, and to enhance learning and the retention of learning while having fun at the same time. Vocabulary games such as word hunting, memory cards, and quiz shows are the educational digital games used widely by the teachers. The study discovered that these games are usually applied in the 5th and 6th grades. However, because of the high-stake test and the lack of appropriate educational digital games for the 8th graders, they are not preferred in the 8th grades. On the other hand, the problems related to these games are the insufficient ICT infrastructures at schools, the cost of the educational digital games, and insufficient digital educational games. Lastly, the study showed that the teachers do not regard themselves as competent enough to develop such games. Accordingly, the implications for further studies and improvements were suggested in the study.