The effect of digital game design instruction on pre-service teachers views about the use of digital games in science education

The rapid advancement of technology has significantly impacted and transformed all fields, including education. Modern technological devices are increasingly used in classrooms. As technological transformation in education is visibly taking place, incorporating modern strategies into teaching to utilize these technologies efficiently becomes inevitable. This research aims to teach pre-service science teachers how to design a game as part of incorporating the digital game strategy into teaching and explore how the views of these pre-service teachers are affected by the implementation. This study was conducted within a qualitative research paradigm. The study group was determined using a criterion-based method. Since the prospective teachers had not received any coding lessons during their undergraduate studies, the RPG Maker game engine, which does not require coding, was chosen as the digital game development engine. In this research, digital game-based learning questionnaire, case scenario forms, and lesson plan forms based on the 5E model, developed by the researcher, were used as data collection tools. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using content analysis, and the findings were presented in tables. The findings of the study indicate that while some pre-service teachers initially held negative views regarding the use of digital games in teaching, they adopted a more positive perspective after the implementation. A significant portion of the pre-service teachers did not hold any particular opinion, either positive or negative, towards the use of digital games prior to the implementation; however, they developed a positive view afterward. The shift toward a positive perspective appears to stem from the recognition that digital game-based teaching can create a student-centered learning environment and that both students and teachers can become more actively engaged. It was also observed that pre-service teachers initially did not prefer to use digital games during the introduction, exploration, and explanation phases of the lesson, but their preferences evolved post-implementation. In this regard, it is understood that the digital game design teaching practice positively influenced science teacher candidates' views on the use of digital games in science education and helped to dismantle some of their preconceived notions.