Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus)
Due to recent migration movements, T & uuml;rkiye has seen a continuous increase in diversity based on nationality, race, and culture, becoming a country that hosts a significant refugee population. For the integration of refugees into society, it is essential for them to learn the official language of the host country in the initial stages of education. Digital games, as a tool provided by technology, can effectively enhance language skills in refugee students. This action research explores how the reading and writing skills of refugee primary school students learning Turkish as a second language can be improved through educational digital game-supported instruction. The study was conducted with 10 refugee students identified as having reading and writing challenges. Six action cycles consisting of 60 sessions, each lasting 40 min were implemented, and data collection instruments included a reading achievement test, a writing skills assessment rubric, researcher's journals, worksheets, observations, interview forms, and records from the validity committee. A three-dimensional educational digital game, "Journey to Turkish," was developed using the UNITY game engine, with instructional activities integrated into the gameplay. Quantitative data from the study were analyzed using the paired samples t-test and Kendall's W Test, with effect sizes calculated based on the t-test results. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated that, through action cycles, refugee students improved their reading and writing skills in Turkish as a second language. The study discusses the contextual factors contributing to these outcomes and their broader implications.