The effect of educational game and digital game methods used on primary school 4th grade social studies course

In this research, it is aimed to investigate the effect of educational game and digital game teaching used in 4th grade social studies course on students' achievement and attitudes. The study group of the study was attended to 4th grade in Toki Fırat Primary School in the central district of Elazığ in the 2018-2019 academic year, constitute a total of 36 students, including experimental groups 18 students and 18 students in the control group. Educational game and digital game method were used in the experimental group and plain expression method was used in the control group. In the research, experimental design which is one of the quantitative research methods and quasi-experimental design was used in experimental design methods. The application lasted five weeks. In order to collect data, Social Studies Achievement Test developed by the researcher and Attitude Scale towards Social Studies Course developed by Demir and Akengin (2010) were used. While analyzing the data, techniques such as normality values, mean (x̄), standard deviation (ss), frequency and percentage distributions were used in analysis and interpretation. For the normally distributed groups, Related Samples t-Test and Independent Samples T-Test; Mann Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test were used for non-normal distribution groups. The effect size value was calculated for each test and its effect was indicated. According to the results of the research; there was a significant difference between the achievement test posttest scores of experimental group students [p değeri .000 < .05, t= -6,606] and there was a significant difference between the achievement test posttest scores of the control group students [p= . 001 < .05, Z= 3,442]. However, there was no significant difference between experimental group and control group students' achievement test posttest scores. [p= .885 ( p > 0,05 ), U= 157,500]. When the results of the study were examined according to the attitudes of the students, there was no significant difference between the attitude test post-test scores of experimental group students [p = .102 > .05, Z= 1,635] and there was no significant difference between the attitude test post-test scores of the control group students [p = .881 > .05, t=.152]. However, a significant difference was found between the attitude test post-test scores of the experimental and control group students. [ p = .018 < .05, t= 2,475]. Teachers can use educational and digital game methods to increase students' interest and motivation towards the lesson, to make them active in the process and to make the lessons more interesting and fun. It can be said that educational and digital game methods can be used not only in Social Studies course but also in different courses. Students are provided with educational games and digital games to uncover a product that can activate in the process of learning students.