Constructivist Playfulness: A Multiple Case Study of Science Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices in Using Digital Games

<p><strong>Although digital game-based learning (DGBL) offers numerous benefits for science education, teachers can remain hesitant to implement it in their classrooms. Their beliefs about DGBL may act as a barrier to its integration. The literature widely suggests that teachers who hold constructivist beliefs are more likely to adopt technology in more sophisticated ways. Therefore, the present study aims to explore science teachers’ constructivist beliefs and practices in implementing DGBL. A qualitative research approach was employed, specifically a multiple case study design, involving five high school science teachers across various school types in Indonesia. Participants were purposefully selected based on rigorous criteria, including completion of teaching certification, demonstrated proficiency in using digital games, strong constructivist beliefs, and a minimum of five years’ teaching experience. Data were collected through a combination of pre- and post-lesson interviews with teachers, classroom observations, student focus group discussions, and document analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted using both abductive and inductive coding strategies, along with cross-case synthesis.</strong></p><p>Findings suggest that teachers’ beliefs regarding the use of DGBL in science education are shaped by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, contextual influences, and self-efficacy. Observations revealed two distinct DGBL implementation patterns: parallel (where digital games are used mainly for assessment purposes) and integrated (where games are embedded within student-centred learning activities). Teachers who implement parallel DGBL practices tended to align with the supplementary category, whereas integrated practices showed alignment with enhancement or transformative uses of digital games. While some teachers demonstrated strong consistency between their beliefs and practices, others showed partial or inconsistent implementation, due primarily to curriculum constraints, pedagogical adjustments, limited resources, or technical challenges.</p><p>This study provides important implications for both in-service teacher professional development and pre-service teacher education, particularly in enhancing educators’ understanding of the affordances of constructivist DGBL approaches, thereby supporting the effective and meaningful integration of digital games in science classrooms.</p>