Research Information System
International Journal of Language and Education Research, vol.7, no.1, pp.94-115, 2025 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Assessment is an essential and inextricable component of the teaching process, regardless of the educational pedagogies employed. Although many educators continue to rely on traditional assessment methods, technological advancements have significantly transformed teaching practices, providing access to diverse digital educational resources, including digital games. An increasing number of these games have been integrated not only as pedagogical tools but also within evaluative frameworks. This study aims to explore the role of digital games in supporting the formative assessment process for young learners in comparison to traditional assessment methods. A mixed-method design was employed in the study. The study was conducted at a private educational institution in İzmir with a sample comprising 62 fifth-grade pupils and 4 instructors of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The participants were purposefully assigned to the experimental and control groups from two different proficiency levels, enabling a comparative analysis of digital and traditional assessment approaches. Formative assessments conducted after two units of teaching revealed there were no statistically significant differences in success between the experimental and control groups. Nevertheless, qualitative findings from teacher interviews and student response papers indicated a significant increase in the motivation, participation, and engagement of students involved in digital gamified assessments compared to those involved in traditional paper-based assessments.