Role of Educational Mobile Game Applications in teaching and learning: A Review of Literature

Abstract

Mobile learning is a novel way to use mobile devices to access learning content anywhere and anytime. Students are currently using mobile phones at a much younger age. They generally use them for playing games or accessing social media. The purpose of this study is to review the research that investigated the effects of educational mobile game applications on students’ learning outcomes. At this time the world is facing a disastrous pandemic that has affected all aspects of life; health and education are the most. A review of papers on mobile learning published between 2010 and 2021 was conducted. We aim to analyze current literature about the impact of mobile games on student achievement and attitudes towards learning. Educational mobile games can stimulate a child’s interest in learning and promote and increase language development, critical thinking, emotional development, intelligence, and imagination. Therefore, educational games could be seen as having an essential role in a child’s development. We use the keywords “Mobile learning,” “Mobile games for education,” “M-learning,” and “Educational mobile games” to find out the literature regarding this topic. After analyzing the previous studies, we made some conclusions. Mobile games can enhance the level of motivation. To overcome the hazardous effects of mobile games, we should develop age-specific games that must include moral values and personality developmental tasks.