Investigating the Effect of an Interactive Educational Digital Game Program on Disadvantaged Children’s Mathematical Skills and Working Memory Performance

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of the Interactive Educational Digital Game Program on the Mathematics Skills and Working Memory Performance of 7-8 year old children who are hospitalized and stay in children’s homes. The study was conducted on 5 children hospitalized in Malatya İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center Training and Research Hospital Pediatric Liver Transplantation Service and Malatya Social Services Institution children’s home were conducted with 25 children. The prepared Interactive Educational Digital Game Program was applied one-on-one by the researcher, 3 days a week for 12 weeks. In the study, the Early Mathematical Ability Test TEMA-3 A Form Scale was used to measure children's mathematical skills and the Working Memory Scale was used to measure their development in working memory. The data obtained in the study were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test program, one of the non-parametric tests, and it was concluded that the Interactive Educational Digital Game Program increased the mathematical skills and working memory performance of 7-8 year old children who were hospitalized and stayed in children’s homes.