An investigation of digital literacy and digital game addiction levels of 4th grade elementary school students i̇n relation to various variables

The purpose of this study is to examine the levels of digital literacy and digital game addiction among fourth-grade elementary school students in terms of various variables. These variables are: gender, parents' education level and employment status, number of siblings, family income level, availability of internet connection at home, family rules regarding media use, whether the student has their own social media account, number of social media accounts the student has, frequency of digital game playing, most played game type, and most played digital game. The research was conducted using the correlational survey model from quantitative research designs. The study group was determined using the appropriate sampling method from non-random sampling methods, and 630 fourth-grade elementary school students attending elementary schools under the Ministry of National Education in Tokat province formed the study group. The study used a personal information form, the "Digital Literacy Scale" to determine students' digital literacy levels, and the "Digital Game Addiction Scale" to determine children's levels of digital game addiction. The main findings of the study indicate that the students participating in the study have a moderate level of digital literacy and that their digital game addiction is below moderate. Furthermore, it was determined that students' levels of digital literacy showed significant differences based on whether they had internet access at home, whether they had their own social media accounts, the number of social media accounts they had, the frequency with which they played digital games, and the type of games they played most often. It was also determined that students' levels of digital game addiction showed significant differences based on their mother's education level, their father's employment status, the family's rules regarding the use of media tools, whether the student had their own social media account, the number of social media accounts the student had, the frequency of digital game playing, the type of game they played most, and the digital game they played most. The findings were discussed in line with the relevant literature and recommendations for future research and applications were presented.