The effect of educational digital games on the achievement, attitude and motivation of 7th grade students in the Turkish course and student views on game-supported instruction

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of educational digital games on the academic achievement, attitudes and motivation of 7th-grade students in Turkish lessons, and to determine student opinions regarding game-supported instruction. A mixed-methods research approach was employed in the study. In the quantitative dimension of the research, a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was utilized. Convenience sampling was preferred as the sampling method. The study group consisted of 38 students attending the 7th grade in two state schools within the Edremit district of Van province during the 2024-2025 academic year. The experimental group comprised 18 students, while the control group consisted of 20 students. For eight weeks, the experimental group received instruction via smart boards using educational digital games designed by the researcher. The control group followed a curriculum in accordance with the Turkish Education Program prepared by the Ministry of National Education (MEB). The 'Attitude Scale Towards Turkish Lesson' and the 'Motivation Scale Towards Turkish Lesson' were employed as data collection tools. Following the completion of the eight-week implementation period, student opinions regarding the process were gathered through a "Semi-structured Interview Form" developed by the researcher. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis, a technique of qualitative research. The results of the research are as follows: The use of educational digital games in Turkish lessons significantly increased academic achievement. It was found that instruction through educational digital games had a positive effect on students' attitudes and motivation toward the Turkish lesson; however, no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. The qualitative findings revealed that students found the implementation process enjoyable, understood the subjects more easily, and expressed a desire for educational digital game-supported instruction to be utilized in other courses as well. Keywords: turkish education, educational digital games, achievement, attitude, motivation, opinion.