Abstract:

The rapidly-growing world requires selection and application of innovative approaches that meet the needs of 21st century child. The idea of implementing technologies into the educational process is increasingly gaining ground. This research is focused at examining the application of digital games into the educational process in the kindergarten. Digital games can be used as an educational tool to supplement the traditional methods used in preschool education. The first part of the study reveals some theories that support the use of digital games in the educational process. Some benefits of digital game based education are also described. By using digital games in their lessons, teachers have the potential to apply more innovative methods of teaching which give wide range of opportunities to enrich the experience of the young learners as well as to teach other skills such as following rules, adaptation, problem solving, interaction, critical thinking, creativity, cooperation and acquisition of a set of competencies - knowledge, skills and attitudes, necessary for the overall development of the child's personality and essential for the successful transition of the child to school education. The second part of the research is aimed at studying teachers' attitude and experience in applying digital games into the educational process. For this purpose a questionnaire was created and conducted with teachers working in the field of preschool education. The data presented in this report cover teachers and kindergartens in Bulgaria.

Keywords:

Digital games, game based education, preschool education.