The effect of game-based concept teaching on the academic achievement of 3rd grade students in life studies course

The accurate and meaningful acquisition of concepts plays a critical role in enabling students to internalize the intended learning outcomes of instructional processes. Concept learning is closely associated with children's cognitive structures and constitutes a fundamental component of cognitive development. Within the framework of constructivist pedagogy, concept teaching involves the meaningful integration of newly acquired concepts with learners' existing knowledge. In this regard, instructional approaches limited to textbook-based activities are considered insufficient for effective concept learning, particularly in primary education. Play, as a universal and developmentally appropriate activity, supports children's cognitive, social, and emotional development and facilitates active participation in the learning process. Consistent with this perspective, the Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli emphasizes student-centered, skill-based, and experiential learning environments that promote meaningful and lasting learning. In this context, play-based instruction emerges as a pedagogical approach that aligns with the holistic and competency-oriented framework of the model. This study aimed to examine the effect of play-based concept teaching on the academic achievement of third-grade primary school students in the Life Sciences course. The research was conducted using a quantitative experimental research design during the 2023–2024 academic year in the province of Elazığ. The study group consisted of two third-grade classes from two public primary schools selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using three achievement tests developed by the researcher for three learning domains included in the third-grade Life Sciences curriculum. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0, employing descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, paired-samples and independent-samples t-tests, and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that play-based concept teaching had a statistically significant positive effect on students' academic achievement. While gender did not have a significant impact on achievement within the play-based instructional process, retention analyses indicated that learning outcomes achieved through play-based concept teaching were more durable over time. Based on these results, it is recommended that play-based instructional practices be strengthened within the Primary School Life Sciences Curriculum, that classroom teachers integrate play-based methods into their instructional planning to support long-term learning, and that play materials be diversified in accordance with students' individual differences and learning styles.