Use of Digital Games in Writing Education: An Action Research on Gamification

Year 2019, , 246 - 271, 12.07.2019

Mazhar Bal

https://doi.org/10.30935/cet.590005

Abstract

The aim
of the study is to determine the contribution of gamification to writing skills
of middle school students. For this study, a lesson plan has been developed to
relate Writing and Authorship Skills lesson to the gamification for middle
school students. From this lesson plan, it was tried to determine the
effectiveness of the teaching process. Therefore, the study was designed as
action research. The research group is composed of seventh grade students. Criteria
sampling technique was used to determine the participants. As a data collection
tool, student diary, semi-structured interview form, semi-structured
observation form, digital content of the students were used. Data obtained from the semi-structured interview form were
analyzed by content analysis; other data were analyzed by descriptive analysis.
Writing skills and gamification were related in the study. Turkish
Language Teaching Program (2018) has been taken into consideration in the action plan which relates to gamification and
writing skill. As a result of the study, it was seen that all participants were
actively involved in the implementation process. In addition, it was concluded
that gamification increased the interest of students towards the course,
combined school and non-school life, facilitated classroom management,
supported collaborative work, and developed creativity. As a result of this
study, it is suggested that digital games can be used as a text type in Turkish
language lessons with the method of gamification in order to positively affect motivation
of the middle school students toward writing education.

Keywords

Digital game, Writing skills, Gamification, Middle school students, Turkish language education

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