A review of using digital game-based learning for preschoolers

Game-based learning in early childhood education: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Game-based learning has gained popularity in recent years as a tool for enhancing learning outcomes in children. This approach uses games to teach various subjects and skills, promoting engagement, motivation, and fun. In early childhood education, game-based learning has the potential to promote cognitive, social, and emotional development. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to summarize the existing literature on the effectiveness of game-based learning in early childhood education This systematic review and meta-analysis examine the effectiveness of game-based learning in early childhood education. The results show that game-based learning has a moderate to large effect on cognitive, social, emotional, motivation, and engagement outcomes. The findings suggest that game-based learning can be a promising tool for early childhood educators to promote children's learning and development. However, further research is needed to address the remaining gaps in the literature. The study's findings have implications for educators, policymakers, and game developers who aim to promote positive child development and enhance learning outcomes in early childhood education.

Serious educational games for children: A comprehensive framework

Introduction

Serious educational games are digital games designed to support teaching or learning objectives that have become popular among children. However, a set of principles is needed to develop a successful educational game. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive and valid framework for designing children's serious educational games.

Methods

The conceptual framework is developed in two phases. First, a scoping review was conducted in PubMed, Ovid (APA PsycInfo), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and gray literature on August 1, 2022. Papers in English that reported the serious educational games' principles for children were included. Second, the extracted data from the previous step was reviewed and discussed by the research team to develop the initial framework. Then, it was distributed to 20 experts with relevant knowledge and experience in two rounds to validate and apply their comments within the framework.

Results

Of the 12916 papers identified, 15 were included in this study. In the proposed framework named CoDHP, the results were classified into four topics, including (a) content aspects, (b) design requirements, (c) highlighted attributes, and (d) children's preferences. Content aspects comprise four classes (goals and limits, child learning content, learning context, and a long-term program) with 16 principles. Design requirements contain 11 classes (stories and storylines, player characters, game mechanics, interactivity, game challenge, game rules, game help, entertaining games, user interface, accessibility, and setting) with 47 principles, of which 15 are highlighted. Regarding children's preferences for the game elements, various similarities and differences were extracted. For instance, both girls and boys prefer fun and popular games. Based on experts' comments, 21 supplementary principles were recommended to complete the content and design requirements.

Conclusion

Game designers or researchers can use the proposed framework as a formative guide to design successful serious games or evaluate children's digital games.

Development of self-critical abilities and values in students using digital games-based learning

Young people are the driving force of society. Therefore, the well-being of society itself depends on what values and ideals they carry into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the values of contemporary Chinese youth in the context of their future life goals and to analyze how self-criticism shapes students' depressive tendencies with the use of digital games. This study was conducted at Shaanxi Technical College of Finance and Economics with 157 Chinese students between the ages of 18 and 25. One hundred nine girls and forty-eight boys were randomly selected for the study. The study was conducted in a Chinese cultural context using the method of experiment with a survey, statistical, and correlational data analysis. Correlation analysis showed that the correlation between self-criticism and N/NE is strong (rs ¼ 0.50-0.65), but it was most related to the positive emotional component of E/PE. Thus, no obvious and serious reasons for the development of depression in young people were found. The results showed that digital games cannot influence the development of self-critical abilities of students, however, they can be a high-quality tool in psychological work with students to determine depressive moods, an overestimated level of self-criticism, and other problems that prevent them from learning. This article has implications for further research in education, as it may provide a basis for developing and improving new methods of constructing curricula. They can be aimed at defining special attention to the psychological state of students to prevent depressive states caused by high levels of self-criticism.