Predicting Students\u27 Intention to Use Gamified Mobile Learning in Saudi Higher Education

While gamified mobile learning holds the promise of offering an interactive learning environment, the predictors of its adoption remain underexplored. This paper therefore examines the impact of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) augmented with cognitive gratification and perceived enjoyment on intention to use gamified mobile learning in higher education. 271 valid responses were obtained from students from different regions of Saudi Arabia, using an online questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling was employed to analyse the data, using AMOS. The findings reveal that perceived enjoyment and social influence had the strongest effects on intention to use gamified mobile learning, followed by performance expectancy and effort expectancy, while cognitive gratification had no influence. The proposed model explained 71% of the variance in usage intentions. The key contribution of this paper is the empirical evidence of the impact of the extended UTAUT on intention to use gamified mobile learning

Design and Evaluation of an Adventure Videogame Based in the History of Mathematics

The present paper describes the design and evaluation of an adventure videogame developed to cover the mathematics primary school curriculum. The narrative of the game is based in the history of mathematics and, to win, the player needs to travel through time, starting from the ancient Egypt and finishing at the modern world. To achieve that, the player interacts with real-life characters, such as Pythagoras of Samos, learning about their contributions to the field and using this knowledge to solve puzzles. The aim of the research presented in this paper is to understand the effects of the game on students’ mathematics performance and levels of mathematics anxiety, a clinical condition where feelings of tension emerge during the manipulation of numbers. The game was tested by children from the first and second classes of Irish primary schools (n = 88). Students played the game for 3 weeks on weekly sessions of 45 min to 1 h. The experiment had a pre post-test design and students answered the Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (mAMAS), and a mathematics test designed based on the content of the game. Statistical analysis suggested the game significantly improves students’ mathematics performance. However, it increases the levels of mathematics anxiety on female students, opening discussion for considering what aspects of game design influences the levels of mathematics anxiety for this specific group

The other art of computer programming: A visual alternative to communicate computational thinking

The thesis will explore the implications of teaching computer science through visual communication. This study aims to define a framework for using pictures within learning computer science. Visual communication materials for teaching computer science were created and tested with Year 8 students. Along with a recent commercial and political focus on the introduction of coding to adolescents, it appears that the computer industry has a large shortfall of programmers. Accompanying this shortfall is a rise among adolescents in the preference for visual communication (Brumberger, 2011; Coats, 2006; Oblinger et al., 2005; Prensky, 2001; Tapscott, 1998) while textual communication currently dominates the teaching materials in the computing discipline. This study looks at the learning process and utilises the ideas of Gibson, Dewey and Piaget to consider the role of visual design in teaching programming. According to Piagetian theory Year 8 is the time a child begins to understand abstract thought. This research investigated through co-creation and prototyping how to creatively support cognition within the learning process. Visual communication theories, comprising the fields of graphic and information design, were employed to communicate computer science to approximately 60 junior high school students across eight schools. Literature in a range of visual communication fields is reviewed along with the psychology of perception and cognition to help create a prototype lesson plan for the target audience of Year 8 students. The history of computer science is reviewed to illustrate the mental imagery within the discipline and also to explore computational thinking concepts. These concepts are . . . the metaphors and structures that underlie all areas of science and engineering (Guzdial, 2008). The participants’ attitudes increased toward learning programming through visual communication. Quantitative questionnaires were used to gather data on cognition and measure the effectiveness of the learning process. Thirteen hypotheses were established concerning learning programming through pictures from the quantitative data. Focus groups further triangulated data gathered in the quantitative stage. Approximately seventy percent of the participants understood seventy percent of the information within the instrumentation. Models of intent to learn programming through pictures were established using structural equation modelling (SEM). Outcomes of the exegesis are a framework for using pictures that demonstrates computational thinking and explains the research

“This Game Is Girly! ” Perceived Enjoyment and Student Acceptance of Edutainment

Abstract. Serious video games that enable students to engage into topics as mathematics through an enjoyment process are becoming increasingly popular. However, there is lack of empirical evidence on the relationship between students ’ enjoyment and their intention to use serious video games. This study is about a storytelling serious video game, which has the goal to improve the mathematical skills of players. The game has a plot, featuring a story in which a mission is assigned to the player. The story and the mission are used to stimulate the students ’ interest and motivate them to play the game. The empirical study is a controlled experiment to which 46 Gymnasium (middle school) students participated. Results confirmed the positive effects of the enjoyment on students ’ intention to use storytelling serious games. Notably, we found that gender has a moderating effect on the relationships between enjoyment and intention to use the game. The results of this study suggest that games with a storytelling component might be attractive to girls

Doing good while playing : the effects of corporate social responsibility gamification on consumer response

This dissertation research explored how CSR functions in a new media platform. Specifically, this research investigated the impact of game narratives and company placement on consumer response. In addition, a moderating role of CSR support was examined. A 2 (game narratives: CSR vs. self-serving) × 2 (company placement: prominent vs. subtle) × 2 (CSR support: high vs. low) factorial experimental design was employed. A mobile web-based game was developed for stimuli. As expected, findings showed that those who played the game with a CSR narrative responded more favorably toward both the game and the company than those who played the game with a self-serving narrative. The research found also an interplay between game narratives and company placement on consumer response. Specifically, in terms of a CSR-narrative game condition, participants exposed to a prominently placed company logo evaluated the company more favorably than participants exposed to a logo placed subtly. On the other hand, for a self-serving game condition, the company evaluation was more positive in a subtly-placed condition than in a prominently-placed condition. Instead of CSR support, a moderating role of fit between the company and the cause was found. Implications and future research are discussed.Advertisin

Investigation of the Effects of a Situated Learning Digital Game on Mathematics Education at the Primary School Level

Previous research suggests games can improve learning outcomesand students’ motivation. However, there still exists insufficient clarity on the design principles and pedagogical approach that should underpinmathematics educational games. This thesis is aimed at evaluating the effects of an educationalgame on the learningperformance and levels of anxiety promoted by mathematics activities of primary school students. The game was designed based on theprinciples of situated learning, following acombination of an in-depth literature review, a collection of teachers’ perceptions about educational games, and features ofclassroom games. Empirical evaluation of the game was performed through a 5-weeks experiment carried out in three Irish schools, with the participationof 88 students. The investigationhad a pre-post-test designand aimed to evaluate the effects of the gameon students’ mathematics performance and anxiety. In the first week, students answered the Learning Outcomes on Mathematics for Children (LOMC), a questionnaire that measured students’ knowledge ofmathematics. The same studentsalso answered the Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (mAMAS), a validated self-report questionnaire to assess maths anxiety ofprimary school children. During the following three weeks, students had weekly gameplay sessions of 45-60 minutes

The role of the writer in creating narrative-driven digital educational games

&nbsp;The two interlocking studies within this inquiry were undertaken to discover how the writers of narrative-driven digital educational games can improve these games&rsquo; potential effectiveness, using action and textual elements. This was achieved by conducting a critical analysis of the literature, analysing best practice games and interviewing their writers.<br /