Gamification of Computer Programming Tasks to Promote the Growth Mind-Set in a Disadvantaged School

This paper describes a growth mind-set intervention with Junior Cycle Coding students in a disadvantaged school in Ireland. This intervention builds on the work of O’Rourke et al. (2016) and applies findings to a computer programming setting where gamification is used to incentivise growth mind-set behaviour in students learning to code. Data revealed a large drop in the perseverance of effort with the control group while learning computer programming. Significantly, the intervention shielded the focus group from experiencing the same drop while learning to code. This research found an increase in the growth mind-set behaviour as the intervention progressed. Additionally, the study revealed that some game elements were effective at incentivising growth mind-set behaviour like perseverance, while others were less successful. These findings are important for educators to consider when they find their Coding students showing a helpless response to challenge as this research sets out a clear path to successfully incentivise persistence and changing strategy in the face of challenge.

Examining Students’ Perceived Competence, Gender, and Ethnicity in a Digital STEM Learning Game

The present study explores how gender, ethnicity, and performance-based perceived competence impact students’ learning, performance, and enjoyment from playing a digital STEM learning game. We had 199 9th-11th grade students play a 2D digital STEM learning game across six science classes. Based on the results of demographic surveys, matched pretests and posttests, and satisfaction questionnaires, we found no interaction between gender and ethnicity for performance-based perceived competence, performance, and enjoyment. We found a significant difference between males and females in performance-based perceived competence and in-game performance both favoring males over females. Among ethnic groups, we found a significant difference with in-game performance favoring White and Hispanic students over Black/African American students. However, the differences in gender and in ethnicity were insignificant once we controlled for both perceived competence and pretest scores. This supports the idea that neither race nor gender truly influence one’s ability to perform in digital learning games.

Implementing Gamified Teaching

In this study, a gamification process was implemented in an undergraduate course of Economics that consisted 397 students. The primary purpose of the research was to empirically validate the effects of gamification in terms of the variables of engagement, motivation, entertainment, perceived relevance of the course, knowledge increase and participation. To ascertain these, a questionnaire was administered to the participants. The results indicated that gamification provided significant positive effect on all variables listed above except motivation. Additional objectives of the article were to link the effects to Marczewski’s player types, namely, Philanthropists, Socialisers, Free spirits, Achievers, Players, and Disruptors, and to measure whether there are differences between the types in terms of the variables indicated above. Gamification resulted in positive effects on all player types except the player type of Disruptors.

Gamification in English as Second Language Learning in Secondary Education Aged Between 11-18

Since gamification has strengthened its place in education over the years, it is frequently preferred in English as a Second Language Learning. This study aims to investigate the literature on the effects of gamification on students’ English learning as a second language and the tendency of students to use games to learn English as a second language. This review contains a systematic review of published articles about gamification in English as a Second Language Learning for learners aged between 11-18 from 2013 to 2020. The study was designed according to the specifications of the PRISMA 2009 Checklist. A combination of words related to gamification, game-based learning, English as a Second Language, and secondary school was included as a search strategy. After selection, ten research articles written in English were reviewed. Their results indicated that the games enhance the fun, raise students’ motivation, and boost their participation while helping their autonomous learning. This review includes suggestions to support planning game-based English lessons.

The Quest for Motivation

Studies have shown Tabletop Role Playing Games (TRPGs) to be effective motivational learning tools that can be utilized in various subject matters. However, limited research has analyzed the elements within TRPGs that enable them to provide motivation to the users. As such, this study conducted an in-depth examination of the elements of TRPGs through the perception of players. Self-determination theory helped frame the study, while the Generic Qualitative Inquiry approach was used for the methodology. Semi structured interviews were conducted with six participants. Data revealed several themes that aligned with the motivational frame related to competency, relatedness, and autonomy. The findings indicate the importance of the roleplaying element and the connection between the player and their in-game character, as well as the effect choices within the game have on the players and other elements of TRPGs. Implications regarding design of TRPGs as learning tools are discussed.

The Gap between Korean Esports and Educational Gaming

While some research suggests South Korea has fallen behind other developed nations with regard to publishing and using serious games in the classroom, Korean interest in video games remains extremely high. Due to a number of cultural, social, and technological factors, esports was primed to become a significant force in Korean culture and received significant support from the Ministry of Culture. The Korean Ministry of Education, meanwhile, is resistant to adopting educational games as a part of its accepted pedagogy. This resistance has created a significant gap between the interest in video games as a learning tool and that of video games as an industry and career path in Korea. While a number of factors play a role in the languishing serious games market, based on evidence analyzed through educational gaming literature it is unlikely educational gaming will be able to significantly advance without the support of the primary governing body controlling educational policy.

An Architecture for Bidirectional Learning Games

Dynamic personalization of learning trajectories that integrate different perspectives and variable scenarios is a viable way to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of training and education. Serious games offer a designated platform for this, by aggregating learner interactions, and using these to dynamically configure, adjust and tailor the game to individuals and contexts. An architecture is presented to support the creation of serious games for specific scenarios, in a faster, more effective and efficient manner. Following a research-by-design approach, the architecture is simultaneously developed and applied in case studies, with the experiences infused as enhancements for subsequent design iterations.

Effects of Collaborative Digital Gameplay on Students’ Three Dimensions of Engagement in Mathematics

This study attempts to provide an in-depth understanding of the influence of collaborative digital gameplay on students’ behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement in mathematics. This mixed-method study used pre- (N = 45) and post-test (N = 43) engagement surveys and photo-elicitation interviews (N = 6) to investigate how a six-day experiment involving collaborative digital gameplay on Wuzzit Trouble affects students’ engagement in mathematics. The quantitative results showed collaborative digital gameplay did not elicit a significant increase in students’ engagement in mathematics from pre-test to post-test. Moreover, the qualitative results of analyzing the measurement of three-dimensional engagement showed four factors – learning achievement, teacher support, peer collaboration and task characteristics – were associated with students’ engagement in a collaborative digital gameplay classroom. The findings suggest the classroom context plays an important role in three-dimensional engagement, which efficiently improve students’ conceptual understanding and arithmetic skills.

Tertiary Students' Experience with Digital Language Games for Enhancing the English Language

Recently, digital games are used as a form of new media with massive potential for learning the English Language. To understand the typology of user experiences with digital games, the Presence-Involvement-Flow Framework (PIFF) was utilized. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten tertiary students in Northern Malaysia. Participants were asked to download and familiarize five digital language games (Duolingo, Memrise, Word Connect, Word Domination and Word Tower Puzzles) before the interviews. Thematic analysis technique was used to analyze the responses. The study’s thematic network comprises four global themes (Game Structure, Feelings, Skills Gained and Prerequisites) and seven organizing themes (Instruction, Game Design, Positive Emotional Outcome, Negative Emotional Outcome, Soft Skills, Technical Skills and Skills Required). The result is expected to be a good guideline or research framework for practitioners and researchers in exploring further the concept of user experience with English language digital games.

Why Games? Use of Massively Multiplayer Online Games in English andBusiness CoursesinHigherEducation

The Phenomenological study investigated the perceptions of 4 Community College administrators and 2 faculty, who experienced for the first time, the process of curricular modification using Massively Multiplayer Online Games or MMOs in their Business and English programs. Since administrators and faculty are key stakeholders of any initiative for technology integration in curricular modification, the study contributed to filling the gap in the literature regarding such stakeholder perceptions and added new insights regarding easy and affordable ways to successfully and effectively integrate MMOs within the curriculum in Higher Education disciplines.