Benazir Quadir

Effects of the Badge Mechanism on Self-Efficacy and Learning Performance in a Game-Based English Learning Environment:

A growing number of studies have been conducted on digital game-based learning (DGBL). However, there has been a lack of attention paid to individuals’ self-efficacy and learning performance in the implementation of DGBL. This study therefore investigated how the badge mechanism in DGBL enhanced users’ self-efficacy in the subject domain of English as a foreign language. In the study, a digital game-based English learning environment was designed with a badge mechanism including digital badges, leaderboard ranking, and learning practice with star icons. A quasi-experimental design was implemented. A total of 50 third-grade elementary school students participated in this study. Hypotheses were tested, and data were analyzed using paired sample t tests, multiple regression analyses, linear regression analyses, and logistic regression analyses. The results show that the badge mechanism had a significant positive influence on the learners’ self-efficacy and English learning performance. The study also investigated how self-efficacy could affect English learning performance, with the results revealing that it had a significant positive influence on learning performance. In addition, a subsequent analysis showed that those students with higher self-efficacy performed better than those with lower self-efficacy.

Individual differences in an English learning achievement system: gaming flow experience, gender differences and learning motivation

ABSTRACT Despite the growing interest in digital game-based learning (DGBL), there has been a lack of attention paid to the effects of individual differences, such as gaming flow experience and gender differences, in a reward-based achievement system. To this end, this study developed an achievement system with a reward mechanism to facilitate English learning. This study investigated how individuals’ gaming flow experience levels affected their levels of learning motivation, and whether any gender differences existed in gaming flow experience and learning motivation while engaging in the achievement system. The results showed that gaming flow experience significantly predicted learning motivation, whereby the students with high gaming flow experience were six times more likely to have high learning motivation than those with low gaming flow experience. Subsequent analysis showed that the female students had significantly higher gaming flow than the male students, but the male and female students showed similar learning motivation. Furthermore, the results indicated that the male students achieved more interactive rewards than the female students, but no significant differences were found in the male and female students’ achievement of other types of rewards. Based on these findings, the authors contribute to the literature by developing a framework which can be applied to support designers to accommodate individual differences in DGBL.

The effects of student interaction with blog-based course content on learning performance

Due to the huge growth in online learning, educators are demanding to use advanced software or social sites as online learning settings. However, they must consider how interaction with online course content impacts learning outcomes while using the unique features of software and social cites. Yet, understanding the effects of learner-content interaction on learning outcomes in blog-based learning environments is very few. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of learner’s interaction with blog based learning content on learning outcome. Two research questions were tested, and data were analyzed using regression analysis. The results show that learner-content interaction is essential for learning output, and a significant relationship was found. A subsequent analysis showed that there is a significant relationship in learning performance between students’ subjective and objective learning outcomes.

The Effects of Perceived Innovation Game Attributes by Learners on Learning Performance in a Game-Based Achievement Learning System

This study investigated how the perceived innovation game attributes by learners influence their learning performance in a game-based achievement learning system. A total of 51 learners participated in a “game-based achievement learning system” developed for the purpose of the study with innovation game attributes to facilitate meaningful learning. Hypotheses were tested and data were analyzed using regression analysis and independent samples t-test. The results revealed that the perceived innovation game attributes by the learners had a significant influence on learning performance in the game-based achievement learning system. Furthermore, based on Roger’s diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, this study also investigated whether the learners’ perceived innovation game attributes and learning performance have some sort of relationship with stage of game adoption (i.e., earlier and later). A subsequent analysis showed that the learners who were late game adopters significantly outperformed those learners who were early adopters. Discussion of the results and the implications of this study are also presented.