Effects of Game Applications Model on Art Learning and Spatial Relations of Early Childhood

Abstract

There are four objectives in this research project: 1) to construct a game application framework for early childhood development of art and spatial relation skills, 2) to develop a game application for early childhood development of art and spatial relation skills, 3) to compare the outcomes of art and spatial reasoning skills development in children in early childhood before and after their usage of the game application, and 4) to compare genders with outcomes of art and spatial reasoning learning after playing game applications. The sample population was 60 children in early childhood, divided into 30 male and 30 female. Multi-stage sampling technique was used in constructing the sample population. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, percentage, mean, standard deviations. Furthermore, paired-sample t-test and independent samples test was used in hypothesis testing. The results showed that the game application framework has a mixed information linkage structure. That is the information is mainly presented in a linear structure with the supplement of an ordered process. There are three elements in the structure:1) the Loading Page, 2) the Main Page containing five items-game stages, game play instructions, game play results, sound settings, and background music settings, and 3) the Game Ending. The framework constructed received the highest level in appropriateness evaluation.The quality of the game application developed according to the mixed-structure framework received the high level in quality evaluation. Once used with the children in early childhood, the game application promoted their learning in art and spatial relation skills, in addition, preschool children are different in gender, learning outcomes in art and spatial relation after using game applications, differences were statistically significant at the .05 level.