Elementary School Teachers’ Views on Game-based Learning as a Teaching Method

Abstract

Game based learning (GBL) help students improve problem-solving skills and make it possible for them to interpret their society, nature and the world around them through experiences. Games provide information in a relevant context or setting. That is why it is very important for the social studies courses, in-class leisure activities, games and physical activities which aim to train students as active members of a classroom. Using games in courses encourage reflection and comprehension of the learning. The purpose of this study is to understand elementary school teachers’ views on GBL related to elementary school courses. 24 elementary school teachers from the schools located in districts with low, middle and high socio-economic levels in Ankara/Turkey participated in this qualitative study. The data of the study were collected by using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using descriptive analysis. According to the findings of the study, the elementary school teachers believe that content of the social studies course; in-class leisure activities, engaging child literature, games and physical activities were suitable for using GBL in the classroom. GBL activities were exemplified as e-learning activities, creative drama activities, digital games, values education and character education. Teachers experienced problems about time planning, students’ non-cooperative behaviors, and teachers’ insufficient background about organizing and designing games as well as economic problems and technical obstacles in related to GBL.