Gamification in preschool science education

Abstract

Over the last few years, rapid technological progress has developed our lives in all areas. The adoption of technology in the everyday lives of both adults and children through smart mobile devices has led to the foreseeable integration of digital tools in the educational process. Smart mobile devices and the applications that accompany them have been proven effective in the educational field since they allow students to acquire knowledge through activities with an interactive and playful character. A technique that has gained popularity among technology users in the last decades is gamification. Gamification combines mechanisms and elements of games, enhancing students' learning, motivation, and interest in various educational fields, such as mathematics and science. The usage of game elements in education is not encountered for the first time due to the spread of gamification in technology, but it has been mentioned since the early ancient Greek years. However, technology has reinforced gamification through components and techniques that provide students with all the necessary supplies leading to positive learning outcomes. This bibliographic review presents the literature findings on gamification through smart mobile devices in science teaching in preschool education.