Supervisors info:
Δημήτρης Γκούσκος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Τμήματος ΕΜΜΕ ΕΚΠΑ
Δημήτρης Μετάφας, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Τμήματος ΗHM ΠΑΔΑ
Αντιγόνη Παρούση, Αναπληρώτρια καθηγήτρια ΤΕΑΠΗ ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
This diploma thesis presents the didactic intervention that took place in a public
kindergarten utilizing digital diet and exercise games, with the aim of introducing
children to a healthy lifestyle to avoid childhood obesity in the future. The motivation
for the study that follows is to achieve the 3rdGlobal Health Goal of the 21st century.
The research conducted in the school year 2020-2021 and involved 20 public
kindergarten students, boys and girls, first and second age grade.
The methodology followed was that of a case study, a qualitative participatory
observational research with experimental and control group, where the former played
digital diet and exercise games for two weeks, experienced rich audiovisual material,
and engaged in thematic playful activities, while the control group was limited only in
the material. Along the way and through distance education, the children designed a
digital maze game for eating healthy food and incorporating physical exercise, which
developed in the Scratch programming language with the help of the researcher/
kindergarten teacher.
The parents of the children also participated in the whole process of the research, by
reviewing information material for the adoption of a healthy lifestyle for themselves
and their children. Also through questionnaires about their views on nutrition,
physical exercise and digital games, at the beginning of the intervention but also at
the end, after the creation of the game.
The results of the research showed that the familiarity of children with digital games,
even those who did not have a media culture before the intervention, was of a high
level. Distance e-learning education contributed to the promotion of quality learning
and that the knowledge acquired by children about the value of proper nutrition and
physical exercise, led them to become the creators of their own knowledge by
designing a game for change.
The evaluation of the whole intervention and the creative process by the children and
their parents was essential and encouraging, in terms of adopting a new healthy
lifestyle in the future, to avoid obesity but also in terms of the pedagogical value of
digital games and learning through the creation of games, in the learning outcomes.
Keywords:
Digital Games, Games for Change, Childhood Obesity, Preschool Education, Games Literacy, 17 Global Sustainable Development Goals
