The impact of gamification in social studies teaching on academic achievement, academic risk-taking and attitudes

The aim of the research is to determine the impact of gamification as a method in the Social Studies course on the academic achievement, academic risk-taking tendencies and attitudes of the students. In the research, nested experimental design, which is a mixed method type was used. 81 (experimental: 42, control: 41) students who were selected through appropriate sampling and studying in public primary school 4/A and 4/B classes in the 2021-2022 academic year participated in the research. "Academic Achievement Test" developed by Avcı (2019), "Primary School Social Studies Class Attitude Scale" developed by Ulu Kalın and Topkaya (2017) and "Primary School Social Studies Academic Risk Taking Scale" -developed by the researcher- were used as quantitative data collection tools. Focus group interviews, student, teacher and researcher diaries were used as qualitative data collection tools. The quantitative data obtained from the study were descriptive statistics through one-way ANOVA for repeated measurements from parametric tests, and T-test for related samples (Paired Samples T-tests), with Mann – Whitney U and Wilcoxon from non-parametric test qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. According to the results of the study; teaching Social Studies with gamification method increases the academic achievement of students and positively affects their academic risk-taking tendencies and attitudes. In addition, the gamification method in Social Studies teaching; it creates a learning environment where it provides an environment for active participation and group work, supports autonomy, encourages risk taking and research; it increases students' self-confidence, develops the value of responsibility, and contributes to students' persistence and persistence in learning, resulting in an increase in their willingness to work; it has been concluded that it facilitates and increases learning, provides permanent learning and ensures that the lessons are fun, exciting, pleasurable, motivating, curious and enjoyable. As a suggestion, researchers can work with the gamification method in other learning areas of the Social Studies course, in other classes and other courses.