Examining primary school educators' preferences for using digital versus non-digital games to support mathematics instruction

• James Anthony Russo ^[1] ; Anne Roche ^[1] ; Toby Russo ^[2] ; Penelope Kalogeropoulos ^[1]
  1. [1] Monash University

     Monash University

     Australia

     
  2. [2] Department of Education, Melbourne, Australia
• Localización: International journal of mathematical education in science and technology, ISSN 0020-739X, Vol. 56, Nº. 9, 2025, págs. 1778-1803
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.1080/0020739X.2024.2361699
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• Resumen

  • Both digital and non-digital games have been shown to be effective for supporting student engagement in mathematics. However, little is known about educator preferences for a particular game mode (i.e. digital versus non-digital), and what factors influence these preferences. To address this gap, 111 Australian primary school educators completed a questionnaire reporting on their usage of, and preferences for using, digital compared with non-digital games to support mathematics instruction. Participants were considerably more likely to use non-digital games than digital games in their classrooms, and the majority indicated a clear preference for using non-digital games. Thematic analysis revealed several themes that explained why many participants preferred non-digital games, with the most frequently coded theme being for pedagogical reasons such as: that they were better for promoting collaboration and communication; that they afforded opportunities for students to use manipulatives; and that they were easily adapted and differentiated for specific groups of students. Other notable themes included: assessment, in particular, the perception that when students played non-digital games it was easier to observe their understanding; access to, and limited awareness of, suitable digital resources; and managing the setup and delivery of the game. Implications of the findings are discussed.

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