INFLUENCE OF A GAME-BASED APPLICATION ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SAFE INTERNET USE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of a game called Wild Web Woods (WWW) designed by the European Council for safe Internet use on secondary school students’ safe Internet use. In line with this purpose, for the purpose of determining the students’ awareness of safe Internet use, a total of 504 students from different regions in Turkey were reached. In the study, a 25-item questionnaire developed by the researchers was applied to the students. The results of the data analysis revealed that the students generally had sufficient levels of awareness of safe Internet use. In the study, 28 5 th and 6 th grade students attending a secondary school in the city of Balikesir took part in the application phase of the WWW game. These students were introduced to the WWW game and asked to play the game. Following this, scenario-based application questions prepared by the researchers were directed to the students. In order to provide data triangulation and to determine the students’ views about this new application, open-ended questions were directed to the students. The results demonstrated that the students’ awareness of safe Internet use generally increased. Almost all the students taking education on safe Internet with the help of the WWW game gave correct answers to the scenario-based application questions. The qualitative data were interpreted within the scope of “Diffusion of Innovations Theory”, and the related themes were obtained. The students regarded this game as an innovation, entertained while playing the game and stated that they wanted to use it in future. This situation can be explained as diffusion of the related innovation. Article visualizations: