Enhancing kindergarten students' basic spatial and mathematical skills through digital games: A case study

Abstract

Digital educational games (DEGs) have been utilized for some time across various learning domains. In light of the ongoing debate concerning their impact on skills and knowledge, particularly among very young learners, a study was undertaken to assess their effectiveness compared to conventional educational materials. The study involved 81 kindergarten students and followed a between-subjects design. This research focused on basic spatial and mathematical skills, specifically directional concepts (such as "up-down," "left-right," "in front-behind," and "above-below"), as well as students' abilities to organize and compare numbers and quantities up to ten. Evaluation tests and a questionnaire were employed to gather data on students' knowledge acquisition, motivation, enjoyment, and ease of use. The findings indicated that, compared to conventional materials, DEGs significantly enhanced the skills that were examined. Although DEGs were rated higher in terms of enjoyment and motivation, they were perceived as less easy to use. Furthermore, enjoyment emerged as the sole factor having a significant influence on learning outcomes with DEGs. The study calls for further exploration to optimize the usability and efficacy of DEGs and may assist educators in integrating them into their daily practice.