The Role of Game-based Learning in Newcomer Children’s Cultural Adjustment

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the role of educational computer games as a tool to help newcomer children adjust socially. One of the tense conditions which the newcomer children face is experiencing difficulties in understanding the right behaviour in the new place of living. We have developed an educational game calledNew Beginningthat sought to help newcomer tweens learn more about selected behavioural issues. The game includes social behaviour advice. The participating children were assigned either to play the computer game or to read a brochure related to the topic. Analyzing the pre and post questionnaires for both game group and brochure group showed that while the brochure found to be easy to read, children found the digital game more useful and enjoyable than the brochure. As such, the study confirmed the potential value of educational games in enhancing newcomer children's social adjustment compared to conventional methods.