Evaluation of fifth grade students' opinions about the use of educational computer game in the course of science, according to the constructing grounded theory

This study aims to reveal fifth grade students' views on the use of educational computer games (ECG) in the course of science. The study was carried out by semi-structured and in-depth interviews with a total of 24 students, 12 boys and 12 girls, in a secondary school located Ankara. Constructing Grounded Theory (CGT), one of the qualitative research methods, is the research design and data analysis method. Charmaz's (2006) data collection questions – based on Grounded Theory and giving a new perspective to the theory with the name of CGT – were used in data collection and data analysis. As a result, it was determined that three basic processes should be managed in order to use ECG in science lesson curriculum. A theoretical modeling has been made based on these processes, which are grounding process, interaction process and positioning process. The grounding process can be considered as preparing the students and the environment for ECG. The grounding process prepares the students and the environment for ECG. This process includes technological resource, content and life sub-categories. Interaction process refers to the implementation of ECG. Decisions, factors, and constraints are sub-categories of interaction process. Positioning process refers to the inclusion of ECG in the science curriculum. The categories of consensus, defining, compromising, participation and design are included in this process. The study is important because it is the first example of the Kathy Charmaz (2006) CGT pattern – applied to a research in Turkey.