View in EDS

Analyzing Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Number Teaching Proficiency through Digital Games: The Case of Minecraft Education

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Analyzing Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Number Teaching Proficiency through Digital Games: The Case of Minecraft Education
Language: English
Authors: Ilkim Zülal Ölmez (ORCID 0009-0000-7230-9312), Özlem Özçakir Sümen (ORCID 0000-0002-5140-4510)
Source: Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age. 2026 11:41-55.
Availability: Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age. Gazi University, Gazi Faculty of Education, Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies Teaching, Bosna Building Room 430, Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey 06500. e-mail: joltida.info@gmail.com; Web site: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/joltida
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Elementary Education
Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Preservice Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Mathematics Instruction, Computation, Educational Games, Video Games, Game Based Learning, Early Childhood Education, Numeracy, Teacher Attitudes, Mathematical Concepts, Computer Uses in Education, Case Studies
Geographic Terms: Turkey
ISSN: 2458-8350
Abstract: Digital games can help children who grow up surrounded by digital technologies develop their counting skills. In this context, a digital game was designed through Minecraft Education to develop children's counting skills. The study's goal is to explore pre-service primary school teachers' abilities to teach numbers using the Minecraft Education game, as well as their thoughts about this teaching approach. For this reason, a Minecraft education game that teaches numbers to young children was designed and used in the study. A case study from qualitative methodology was used, and 53 pre-service primary school teachers from an Anatolian university participated in the study. The Number Teaching Competency Form and semi-structured interview form were employed as data collection tools. The data was analyzed using rubric and content analysis. The study's findings showed that most pre-service primary school teachers had a low level of skill in identifying counting principles when using the Minecraft Education game for number teaching. Contrary to this, in the interviews, pre-service teachers stated that they could use Minecraft Education to teach numbers and determine which stage of counting the child was at. They also thought that it was a useful tool to help them in teaching mathematics. They emphasized that this program could effectively teach arithmetic operations, problem-solving, and other mathematical concepts.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1495746
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1495746
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1495746
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Analyzing Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Number Teaching Proficiency through Digital Games: The Case of Minecraft Education
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ilkim+Zülal+Ölmez%22">Ilkim Zülal Ölmez</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7230-9312">0009-0000-7230-9312</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Özlem+Özçakir+Sümen%22">Özlem Özçakir Sümen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5140-4510">0000-0002-5140-4510</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Learning+and+Teaching+in+Digital+Age%22"><i>Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age</i></searchLink>. 2026 11:41-55.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age. Gazi University, Gazi Faculty of Education, Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies Teaching, Bosna Building Room 430, Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey 06500. e-mail: joltida.info@gmail.com; Web site: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/joltida
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 15
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preservice+Teachers%22">Preservice Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Teachers%22">Elementary School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Instruction%22">Mathematics Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computation%22">Computation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Games%22">Educational Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+Games%22">Video Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Game+Based+Learning%22">Game Based Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Numeracy%22">Numeracy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematical+Concepts%22">Mathematical Concepts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Uses+in+Education%22">Computer Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Case+Studies%22">Case Studies</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Turkey%22">Turkey</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2458-8350
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Digital games can help children who grow up surrounded by digital technologies develop their counting skills. In this context, a digital game was designed through Minecraft Education to develop children's counting skills. The study's goal is to explore pre-service primary school teachers' abilities to teach numbers using the Minecraft Education game, as well as their thoughts about this teaching approach. For this reason, a Minecraft education game that teaches numbers to young children was designed and used in the study. A case study from qualitative methodology was used, and 53 pre-service primary school teachers from an Anatolian university participated in the study. The Number Teaching Competency Form and semi-structured interview form were employed as data collection tools. The data was analyzed using rubric and content analysis. The study's findings showed that most pre-service primary school teachers had a low level of skill in identifying counting principles when using the Minecraft Education game for number teaching. Contrary to this, in the interviews, pre-service teachers stated that they could use Minecraft Education to teach numbers and determine which stage of counting the child was at. They also thought that it was a useful tool to help them in teaching mathematics. They emphasized that this program could effectively teach arithmetic operations, problem-solving, and other mathematical concepts.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1495746
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1495746
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 41
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preservice Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Games
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Video Games
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Game Based Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Numeracy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematical Concepts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Case Studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Turkey
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Analyzing Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Number Teaching Proficiency through Digital Games: The Case of Minecraft Education
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ilkim Zülal Ölmez
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Özlem Özçakir Sümen
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2458-8350
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 11
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age
              Type: main
ResultId 1