Towards the Sustainable Development of Digital Educational Games for Primary School Students in China

Juan Chen,Bing Mei,Shuxia Yang

doi:10.3390/su13147919

Abstract

Despite considerable discussion on the benefits of digital educational games, empirical research on their effectiveness in primary schools in China is limited. This case study aimed to promote the sustainable development of digital educational games in primary schools in China by examining the effect of digital educational games on primary school students’ vocabulary acquisition and ascertaining their perceptions and attitudes toward this approach. Given the purposes of this study, an embedded mixed methods research design was employed. Two Grade 4 classes at a Chinese primary school were recruited in this study. During the quasi-experiment, the experimental class (n = 50) was provided with educational game software, Quizlet, while the control class (n = 50) was taught through a traditional teaching method. The results show that integrating educational games into language education in the primary schools was effective in improving students’ vocabulary acquisition. This study makes a case for further research of digital educational games in language classrooms at a primary level in China. Implications are made regarding the future sustainable implementation of digital educational games in primary schools in China.

Highlights

With the development of technology, the potential of digital games to facilitate language learning has been increasingly discussed [1]
In China, there is a deficiency of relevant research in language classrooms of Chinese primary schools for fear of the possible drawbacks of digital educational games, and less is known about its implementation for language education at the primary school level in China
In view of this gap, this case study focused on the effect of digital educational games on the English vocabulary acquisition of primary school students in China

Summary

Introduction

With the development of technology, the potential of digital games to facilitate language learning has been increasingly discussed [1]. In China, there is a deficiency of relevant research in language classrooms of Chinese primary schools for fear of the possible drawbacks of digital educational games, and less is known about its implementation for language education at the primary school level in China In view of this gap, this case study focused on the effect of digital educational games on the English vocabulary acquisition of primary school students in China. It attempted to reveal students’ experiences of such language learning. We hope that findings from this study will provide guidance to English teachers in primary schools in China and contribute to the future implementation of educational game-based English education

Methods

Results

Conclusion