Enhancing Preschool Social Competence Through Interactive Educational Games
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52783/jns.v14.1790Keywords:
Social Competence, Education games, motor learning, PreschoolAbstract
This study investigates the effectiveness of interactive educational games in enhancing social competence among preschool-aged children. Social competence, encompassing skills such as communication, cooperation, and empathy, is fundamental for early childhood development and long-term academic and social success. Traditional teaching methods often struggle to engage young learners and effectively foster these essential skills. To address this challenge, an experimental design was employed involving 150 preschool children aged three to five years from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which engaged in a series of structured interactive educational games designed to promote social skills or a control group that participated in standard preschool activities without the game-based interventions. Over 10 weeks, social competence was assessed using validated observational checklists and standardized behavioral assessments administered before and after the intervention. Quantitative analysis revealed that children in the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in key areas of social competence, including enhanced communication, increased cooperative behavior, and more excellent empathetic responses, compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Qualitative feedback from educators and parents supported these findings, highlighting observable positive changes in children's interactions and peer relationships. These results suggest that integrating interactive educational games into preschool curricula can effectively bolster social competence, offering a promising alternative to conventional teaching methodologies. The study contributes to the field of early childhood education by providing empirical evidence for the use of gamified learning tools to develop essential social skills, with implications for curriculum design and educational policy. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of such interventions and their applicability across diverse educational settings.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Abla, C., & Fraumeni, B. R. (2019). Student Engagement: Evidence-Based Strategies to Boost Academic and Social-Emotional Results. McREL International, 1–16.
Aditya, B. R., Andrisyah, Ismiatun, A. N., Atika, A. R., & Permadi, A. (2021). Digital disruption in early childhood education: A qualitative research from teachers’ perspective. Procedia Computer Science, 197, 521–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.12.169
Albin-Clark, J. (2024). Digitally doing Reggio: mobilising posthuman pedagogical knowledge co-creation with socially mediated performativities of early childhood education. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 32(4), 1099–1108. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2024.2355093
Amani, M., Koruzhdeh, E., & Taiyari, S. (2019). The effect of strengthening executive functions through group games on the social skills of preschool children. Games for Health Journal, 8(3), 213–219. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2018.0052
Audrin, C., & Audrin, B. (2024). Emotional intelligence in digital interactions – A call for renewed assessments. Personality and Individual Differences, 223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112613
Bai, J., Zhang, H., Chen, Q., Cheng, X., & Zhou, Y. (2022). Technical Supports and Emotional Design in Digital Picture Books for Children: A Review. Procedia Computer Science, 201(C), 174–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2022.03.025
Baikulova, A., Akimbekova, S., Kerimbayeva, R., Arzymbetova, S., & Moldagali, B. (2024). Leveraging digital interactive didactic games to enhance cognitive development in preschool education. E-Learning and Digital Media, 20427530241261296. https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530241261294
Bird, A., Reese, E., Schaughency, E., Waldie, K., Atatoa-Carr, P., Morton, S., & Grant, C. (2024). Talking, praising and teaching: How parent interaction during a learning task relates to children’s early learning. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 66, 255–268. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.10.001
Bowler, A., Arichi, T., Fearon, P., Meaburn, E., Begum-Ali, J., Pascoe, G., Johnson, M. H., Jones, E. J. H., & Ronald, A. (2024a). Phenotypic and Genetic Associations Between Preschool Fine Motor Skills and Later Neurodevelopment, Psychopathology, and Educational Achievement. Biological Psychiatry, 95(9), 849–858. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.017
Bowler, A., Arichi, T., Fearon, P., Meaburn, E., Begum-Ali, J., Pascoe, G., Johnson, M. H., Jones, E. J. H., & Ronald, A. (2024b). Phenotypic and Genetic Associations Between Preschool Fine Motor Skills and Later Neurodevelopment, Psychopathology, and Educational Achievement. Biological Psychiatry, 95(9), 849–858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.017
Bowman, S. L., & Lieberoth, A. (2019). Psychology and Role-Playing Games. In Role-Playing Game Studies (Issue April). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315637532-13/jrpy.2018.0245
Chen, J., Fu, Z., Liu, H., & Wang, J. (2023a). Effectiveness of Virtual Reality on Learning Engagement: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 19(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJWLTT.334849
Chen, J., Fu, Z., Liu, H., & Wang, J. (2023b). Effectiveness of Virtual Reality on Learning Engagement: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 19(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJWLTT.334849
Cornali, F., & Tirocchi, S. (2012). Globalization, Education, Information and Communication Technologies: What Relationships and Reciprocal Influences? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 2060–2069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.949
Farahani, N. K. E., & Mirsafi, M. A. H. (2024). The Relationship between Traditional Games and Social Development in Children. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 50(7), 700–718. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2024/v50i71499
Gimbert, B. G., Miller, D., Herman, E., Breedlove, M., & Molina, C. E. (2023). Social Emotional Learning in Schools: The Importance of Educator Competence. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 18(1), 3–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/19427751211014920
Hellison, D. (2015). Teaching Physical and Social Responsibility Through Physical Activity Just What is the System ? Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 83, 1–16. https://www.icsspe.org/system/files/Teaching Physical and Social responisbility through PA %28Hellison%29.pdf
Hervás-Torres, M., Bellido-González, M., & Soto-Solier, P. M. (2024). Digital competences of university students after face-to-face and remote teaching: Video-animations digital create content. Heliyon, 10(11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32589
Hou, Y., Wang, Y., Deng, J., & Song, X. (2024). Exploring the effects of multiple forms of physical activity on social functioning in children with ASD: a meta-analysis of a controlled trial. Heliyon, e38622. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38622
Karaca, N. H., Uzun, H., Göle, M. O., & Aydoğuş, R. (2024). Examining the relationship between teachers’ attitudes toward risky play and children’s motor creativity skills. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 53, 101534. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101534
Kucirkova, N., & Kamola, M. (2022). Children’s stories and multisensory engagement: Insights from a cultural probes study. International Journal of Educational Research, 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2022.101995
Lavigne, H. J., Presser, A. L., Rosenfeld, D., Cuellar, L., Vidiksis, R., Ferguson, C., Wolsky, M., & Andrews, J. (2023). Computational thinking with families: Studying an at-home media intervention to promote joint media engagement between preschoolers and their parents. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 102–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.05.009
Leung, Y. W., Mak, T. C. T., Chan, D. K. C., & Capio, C. M. (2023). Early Childhood Educators’ Physical Literacy Predict Their Self-Efficacy and Perceived Competence to Promote Physical Activity. Early Education and Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2023.2243187
Li, J., & Bai, B. (2024). Examining teacher-child relationship profiles in forecasting children’s self-regulation and social-emotional skills: A multilevel latent profile approach. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 94, 101697. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101697
Luo, L., & Qiu, Y. (2024). Parent−child relationship and social competence in Chinese preschoolers: A latent class analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 163, 107716. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107716
Ma, X., Yang, N., Huang, M., Zhan, S., Cao, H., & Jiang, S. (2024). Relationships between gross motor skills, psychological resilience, executive function, and emotional regulation among Chinese rural preschoolers: A moderated mediation model. Heliyon, 10(18), e38039. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e38039
MartíN-Del-Pozo, M., Gómez-Pablos, V. B., & García-Valcárel, A. (2019). Pedagogy Students’ Attitudes towards Collaborative Learning with Video Games: Considering Demographic Information and the Variety of Digital Resources. In Teachers’ Professional Development in Global Contexts: Insights from Teacher Education (pp. 304–323). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004405363_016
Peyman, N., Rezai-Rad, M., Tehrani, H., Gholian-Aval, M., Vahedian-Shahroodi, M., & Heidarian Miri, H. (2018). Digital Media-based Health Intervention on the promotion of Women’s physical activity: A quasi-experimental study. BMC Public Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5025-5
Ryhtä, I., Elonen, I., Saaranen, T., Sormunen, M., Mikkonen, K., Kääriäinen, M., Koskinen, C., Koskinen, M., Koivula, M., Koskimäki, M., Lähteenmäki, M.-L., Wallin, O., Sjögren, T., & Salminen, L. (2020). Social and health care educators’ perceptions of competence in digital pedagogy: A qualitative descriptive study. Nurse Education Today, 92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104521
Shum, A. K. Y., Lai, E. S. Y., Leung, W. G., Cheng, M. N. S., Wong, H. K., So, S. W. K., Law, Y. W., & Yip, P. S. F. (2019). A digital game and school-based intervention for students in Hong Kong: Quasi-experimental design. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(4). https://doi.org/10.2196/12003
Sinaga, R. M., Maydiantoro, A., Ochayi, O. A., Yulianti, D., Arif, S., Basri, M., & Bolado, J. R. T. (2022). Reasoning Model and Moral Simulation to Improve Students’ Social Skills: A Focused Look at Emotional Intelligence. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 12(1), 335–345. https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2022-0026
Utami, B., Probosari, R. M., Saputro, S., Ashadi, A., & Masykuri, M. (2023). The effect of problem-solving and cooperative learning models on students’ affective aspects and social interactions in learning chemical equilibrium. In S. Saputro, A. Suparmi, & D. A. Nugraha (Eds.), AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2751). American Institute of Physics Inc. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0143124
van Peppen, L. M., Verkoeijen, P. P. J. L., Heijltjes, A. E. G., Janssen, E. M., & van Gog, T. (2021). Enhancing students’ critical thinking skills: is comparing correct and erroneous examples beneficial? Instructional Science, 49(6), 747–777. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-021-09559-0
von Steinkeller, A., & Grosse, G. (2022). Children are more social when playing analog games together than digital games. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 6, 100195. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2022.100195
Zaky, Y. A. M., & Al Mulhim, E. N. (2024). Teacher Education: Design Thinking Approach in Makerspaces to Produce Quality Educational Video Games with a Visual Identity and Improve Design Thinking Skills. Education Sciences, 14(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070718
Zamani, M., Sigaroudi, A. E., Pouralizadeh, M., & Kazemnejad-Leili, E. (2022). Effect of the Digital Education Package (DEP) on prevention of anxiety in hospitalized children: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Nursing, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-01113-8
Zhang, J., Sloss, I., Maguire, N., & Browne, D. T. (2024). Physical activity and social-emotional learning in Canadian children: Multilevel perspectives within an early childhood education and care setting. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy, 100069. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2024.100069
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
Terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
