Application of Digital Games in Developing Values and Problem-Solving Skills in Social Studies

This study assessed the potentials of using digital games to develop problem-solving skills and values of patience, tolerance and perseverance which digital games tend to promote. The study provides answers on the contributions of digital games into the development of problem-solving skills and values in Social Studies students. It adopted a descriptive design using 200 level pre-service Social Studies teachers in a government owned tertiary institution in Ogun State. At first, purposeful sampling technique was used to select pre-service Social Studies teachers while volunteer sampling was used to select forty (40) respondents for the study. A structured questionnaire tagged “Digital Games and Development of Problem Solving and Values in Social Studies Questionnaire” (DGDPVSSQ) (r = .89) was used to get feedback from the students. Descriptive statistical analysis of mean and standard deviation was used for the analysis of data obtained from students’ experiences after the games exercise. The result showed that digital games help in developing the problem-solving skills of logical thinking, solution focus, and evaluation of options; as well as the values of persistence, will to achieve, rules application and determination in Social Studies students. Based on the findings, it is recommended that digital games learning will be of immense benefit in improving academic achievement of students in Social Studies and hence using digital games in Social Studies should be encouraged to attract the attention of the students and develop problem-solving skills, positive attitudes and values in the student.