Children and Youth Services Review

Recent studies regarding digital game-based learning (DGBL) are increasing, having the potential to enable new forms of learning, however, it remains unclear how DGBL applications can impact young students’ creativity. The main purpose of this study is to investigate whether DGBL application technologies (tablets and smartphones), can improve creativity skills in preschool children (aged 3–6) and “what the main components effective of creative skills are to enhance learning for young children in DGBL”. In this study, the procedure is a case study and the researcher used a sample of apps that were preloaded onto one tablet for seven children aged 3–6 years old in grade Foundation Stage 1 and 2 in a selected Montessori pre-school in Malaysia. In the present study, during using educational digital games by young children, the students’ creative thinking process and the relationship between these components based on Analyzing Children's Creative Thinking framework (ACCT) are investigated in order to understand perceptions of creativity skills involved in the learning approach. The findings suggest that DGBL can potentially affect students' ability to develop creative skills and critical thinking, knowledge transfer, acquisition of skills in digital experience, and a positive attitude toward learning as well as provide for deep, insightful learning. The students experienced opportunities for engaging the creative thinking process in their activity and thinking issue understanding and learning in educational digital games. This study provides an outlook for researchers, game designers, developers in the field of DGBL, and creativity. This research provides new insights, advice, and effective suggestions on how to increase creative skills, motivate, and improve learning outcomes and demonstrate learning with DGBL composition in teaching young students.

The effective components of creativity in digital game-based learning among young children: A case study