Towards the sustainable development of digital educational games for primary school students in China

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.