The effect of entertaining and motivational properties of educational games to academic achievement and motivation

This research focuses on motivational and entertaining properties of educational games. Research is made on four phases.1-Determining motivational and entertaining properties that educational games should include2-Determining the validation of motivational and entertaining properties that educational games should include for fifth grade students3-Developing a suitable software according to those factors4-Applying the software and evaluating the resultsOn the first part for determining the factors a qualitive methode is carried out. Data are gathered through interview with 11 people and analysed.Because the application will took place on the fifth grade in science class about the subject ?Force and Movement? , a validation seems necessary. A questionary is developed and applied the fifth grade students and the factors are validated.Two softwares are developed according to this factors. While one of them contains the entertaining and motivational factors the other does not. The softwares are developed using flash. The softwares are developed and published online.This softwares are applied on two different classes in two different schools as experiment and control groups. Data are gathered with pretest before the application and post test and application evaluation form after the application. The Data is analysed with using a statistical program and the results are interpreted.The data of test results shows that the experiment group did achieve a statisticaly meaningful raise. On the control group, although a raise can be observed, this raise is not found statisticaly meaningful. The experimantal and cotrol goups did not show a meaningful difference on pretest and posttest. The experiment did not caused a diffrence on this groups which the starting conditions are assumed as equal.When the application evaluation form data are analysed we can observe meaningful differences between experimental group and control group. The experimental group stressed not only the software as more satisfactory and gave higher points (Marks?) but also they tend to be more willing to use the software in and of the class and showed higher levels of motivation.This study showed no meaningful difference on success but has increased motivation meaningfully.