The effects of computer games development process on primary school students' critical thinking skills and algorithm achievements

The focus of this study is to examine the effects of computer games development process on primary school students' critical thinking skills and algorithm achievements. The prepost - test control group research model was used in this study. Totally 54 students in the 6th grade of Kartal Milli Eğitim Vakfı primary school participated in the study. Control and exprimental groups are composed of randomly selected two classes. The application of this study took six weeks in total. Experiment group learned algoritm using game development process while the control group learned the same topic through traditional didactic teaching method. Critical Thinking Skills Interviews and Algorithm Achievement Test used in this study to collect quantitative data. The purpose of the qualitative interview form is to evaluate the application process from the point of exprimental group students. The data obtained in the study were analysed by using covariance and t- test is used. The data obtained in the study were analysed by the computer programme SPSS. The result of the research has shown that learning algoritm using computer game development process makes a significant positive difference critical thinking skills and algorithm achievement scores rather than traditional didactic teaching method. It is also found during the interviews that control group students has shown more interest for computer programming after the experimental study. Findings obtained from the analysis expressed that computer games development process has positive effects on primary school student's critical thinking skills and algorithm achievements.