A Mixed-Method Research on the Effectiveness of Using Gamification Elements in an Online English Course

Year 2022, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 280 - 291, 06.10.2022

Ayşenur Çınar , Yavuz Erişen , Mine Çeliköz

https://doi.org/10.24331/ijere.1140960

Cited By: 4

Abstract

This study, in which the embedded design mixed method in which qualitative and quantitative data are applied together, aims to determine the effectiveness of gamification applications and LMS use in online English lessons. The study was implemented in a secondary school in Istanbul. The purposeful sampling method, a non-random sampling method, was performed. The students were divided into control and experiment groups randomly. The control group consists of 44 students, and the experiment group is 47. A pre-test via online testing tool adapted from a norm-referenced/academic achievement test designed by the Turkish Ministry of Education to examine the students' background knowledge level related to the topic chosen. In this study, while traditional education methods were applied in the control group throughout 15 hours of English lessons enriched with gamification was designed in the experimental group on distance education. The control group was taught the 7th unit of the 5th grade English book 'Party time via traditional presentation methods. In contrast, the experimental group was the same subject via versatile gamification apps such as Kahoot, Classdojo, Quizziz, and web-based games. As a result, there was also a significant change between the pre-posttest change in the experimental group. Accordingly, the Posttest means of those in the experimental group are statistically significant. Following the post-test, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten students in the experimental group, who were selected by criterion sampling method in a way that the test score changes were heterogeneous, to learn their views on the online English course in which gamification elements were used and to support the quantitative data. According to the data obtained from the interviews, the students were satisfied with the course activities. However, students stated that other lessons should be conducted with interactive applications in addition to English lessons.

Keywords

Distance education, gamification, LMS, ELT.

References

• Aghaei, S., Nematbakhsh, M. A., & Farsani, H. K. (2012). Evolution of the world wide web: From WEB 1.0 TO WEB 4.0. International Journal of Web & Semantic Technology, 3(1), 1-10.
• Barcena, E., & Sanfilippo, M. (2015). The audiovisual knowledge pill as a gamification strategy in second language online courses. Circulo de Linguistica Aplicada a La Comunicacion, 63, 22– 151. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_CLAC.2015.v63.50172
• Bernard, H.R. (2006) Research Methods in Anthropology. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Altamira Press, Lanham.
• Berns, A., Isla-Montes, J.-L., Palomo-Duarte, M., & Dodero, J.-. (2016). Motivation, students' needs, and learning outcomes: A hybrid game-based app for enhanced language learning. SpringerPlus, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-2971-1
• Bustillo, J., Rivera, C., Guzmán, J., & Ramos, L. (2017). Benefits of using a mobile application in learning a foreign language. Sistemas & Telemática, 15(40), 55– 68. https://doi.org/10.18046/syt.v15i40.2391
• Castañeda, D. A., & Cho, M.-H. (2016). Use a game-like application on a mobile device to improve accuracy in conjugating Spanish verbs. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 29(7), 1195–1204. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2016.1197950
• Boudadi,N.A,&Colón, M.G. (2020). The Effect of Gamification on students' motivation and learning achievement in Second Language Acquisition within higher education: a literature review 2011-2019 28 (1).
• Creswell, J.W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• DeCarlo, L.T. (1997), "On the Meaning and Use of Kurtosis," Psychological Methods, 2: 292-307.
• Daud, Rafizah. (2020). The Leader Board Effects on Behavioural Engagement in Web Design Learning.
• Ding,L. Er,E. Orey,M.(2018).An exploratory study of student engagement in gamified online discussions,Computers & Education,Volume 120,Pages 213-226,ISSN 0360-1315.
• Flores, J. F. F. (2015). Using gamification to enhance second language learning. Digital Education Review, (27), 32-54.
• Gafni, R., Biran Achituv, D., & Rahmani, G. (2017). Learning Foreign Languages Using Mobile Applications. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 16, 301– 317. https://doi.org/10.28945/3855
• Govindarajan, R. (2020, March). Exploiting Gamification and Interactive Activities to Achieve Better Students' Engagement in ELT Classes. In Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Proceedings of 2nd MEC TESOL Conference.
• Goehle, G. (2013). Gamification and web-based homework. Primus, 23(3), 234-246. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970.2012.736451
• Groeneveld, R.A. and Meeden, G. (1984), "Measuring Skewness and Kurtosis," The Statistician, 33: 391-399. Hammersley, M. & Atkinson, P. (2019). Ethnography: Principles in Practice. 10.4324/9781315146027.
• Heick, T. (2012). A Primer: 3 Ways Technology Has Changed Education.
• Hopkins, K.D. and Weeks, D.L. (1990), "Tests for Normality and Measures of Skewness and Kurtosis: Their Place in Research Reporting," Educational and Psychological Measurement, 50: 717-729.
• Hung, H.-T. (2017). Clickers in the flipped classroom: bring your device (BYOD) to promote student learning. Interactive Learning Environments, 25(8), 983–995. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2016.1240090
• Iaremenko, N. (2017). Enhancing English language learners' motivation through online games. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 59, 126–133. https://doi.org/10.33407/itlt.v59i3.1606
• Karademirci, A. H. (2010). Öğretim teknolojileri: Tanımı ve tarihsel gelişimine yeniden bakmak. Akademik Bilişim’10, 496.
• Kayseroglu, M. A., & Samur, Y. (2018). Vocabulary Learning through a Gamified Question and Answer Application. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age, 3(2), 27-41.
• Kétyi, A. (2016, September 1). From Mobile Language Learning to Gamification: an Overlook of Research Results with Business Management Students over a Five-Year Period. Innovating in the Didactic Second Language Scenario Innovating in the Didactic Second Language Scenario: New Mobile, Open and Social Model, Edition: Monográfico I., 45–59. https://urlzs.com/iZXtM
• Kiryakova, G., Angelova, N., & Yordanova, L. (2014). Gamification in education. Proceedings of 9th International Balkan Education and Science Conference.
• Liu, Y., Holden, D., & Zheng, D. (2016). Analyzing students' Language Learning Experience in an Augmented Reality Mobile Game: An Exploration of an Emergent Learning Environment. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 228, 369–374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.07.055
• Ng, W. (2012). Can we teach digital natives digital literacy?. Computers & Education, 59(3), 1065-1078. Mateo-Gallego, C., & Ruiz Yepes, G. (2018). Terapias de errores con aprendizaje móvil y gamificación: estudio comparativo en español de los negocios. Folios, 48, 121–135. https://doi.org/10.17227/folios.48-8139
• Moors, J. J. A. (1986), "The Meaning of Kurtosis: Darlington Reexamined," The American Statistician, 40: 283-284.
• Morse, J. M., & Field, P. A. (1995). Qualitative research methods for health professionals (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Munday, P. (2016). The case for using Duolingo as part of the language classroom experience. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 19 (1), 83–101. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.19.1.14581
• Palomo-Duarte, M., Berns, A., Cejas, A., Dodero, J. M., Caballero, J. A., & Ruiz-Rube, I. (2016). Assessing Foreign Language Learning Through Mobile Game-Based Learning Environments. International Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals (IJHCITP), 7(2), 53–67. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJHCITP.2016040104
• Patton, M. Q. (1989). The Sage Difference. Evaluation Practice, 10(2), 87–89. https://doi.org/10.1177/109821408901000215
• Perry, B. (2015). Gamifying French Language Learning: A Case Study Examining a Quest-based, Augmented Reality Mobile Learning tool. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 2308– 2315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.892
• Putra, P. P., & Priyatmojo, A. S. (2021). Students' perception toward gamification applied in English language classroom. In ELT Forum: Journal of English Language Teaching, 10(1), 21-29.
• Rothman, D. (2016). A Tsunami of learners called Generation Z. URL: http://www. mdle. net/JoumaFA_Tsunami_of_Learners_Called_Generation_Z. pdf.
• Sahin-Topalcengiz, E.& Yildirim, B. (2020). Teachers' Opinions about Distance Web 2.0 Tools Training and Teachers' In-Class Web 2.0 Practices. Journal of Turkish Science Education,17(4), 561-577.
• Sartor, V. (2020). Digital Age Pedagogy: Easily Enhance Your Teaching Practice with Technology. English Teaching Forum 2020, 58(3), 2-9.
• Selwyn, N. (2013). Education in a digital world: Global perspectives on technology and education. Routledge. Stocker, E. Gamification in the EFL Classroom: The Effect of Gamification on Student Engagement in Teenage Learners of English (Doctoral dissertation, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz).
• Szymkowiak, A., Melović, B., Dabić, M., Jeganathan, K., & Kundi, G. S. (2021). Information technology and Gen Z: The role of teachers, the internet, and technology in the education of young people. Technology in Society, 65, 101-565.
• Veljković Michos, M. (2017). Gamification in Foreign Language Teaching: Do You Kahoot?. In Sinteza 2017-International Scientific Conference on Information Technology and Data Related Research. 511-516. Singidunum University.
• Yıldırım, A. & Simşek, H. (2013). Sosyal Bilimlerde Nitel Araştırma Yöntemleri [Qualitative Research Methods in Social Sciences]. Seçkin Yayınevi: 11. Basım, Ankara.