Abstract
To support classes on social studies, especially in geography field, the authors developed a flash-based puzzle video game of a map of Japan and examined the effectiveness of the application. In this study 28 students of fourth grade elementary school tried to play them once a week for three weeks. Through the entire experiments, students acquired the skill to think identification of shapes, location and letters as spatial information through playing this map puzzle game. These results indicate that the game applications have effects on fostering elementary school students' spatial thinking and widening their views and also supporting geography education.
