The Students' Perceptions of Digital Game-Based Learning

Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Games Based Learning, FH Joanneum University of Applied Science, Graz, Austria, October 2017

14 Pages Posted: 3 Oct 2017

See all articles by Mark Anthony Camilleri

Mark Anthony Camilleri

University of Malta; University of Edinburgh; Northwestern University

Adriana Camilleri

University of Bath - Department of Psychology

Date Written: October 6, 2017

Abstract

This paper provides a critical analysis on the rationale behind the utilisation of educational technologies, including; digital learning resources. A qualitative research sheds light on the students’ discernment and preconceptions toward the use of digital games, stories and simulations, in-class. Semi-structured, face-to-face interview sessions among secondary school students suggest that students are increasingly acquiring skills and competences from blended learning. Their engagement with educational applications (apps) is improving their critical thinking as it helps them make evaluative decisions to solve problems. At the same time, the results reveal that most of these students are developing their interpersonal skills as they collaborate in teams and work in tandem with their peers, during their formative activities. However, there are also a few students who are not perceiving the usefulness and the ease of use of playing digital games at school. This study postulates that students seem to possess dissimilar skills as they exhibit different learning abilities. The students’ gender, age as well as their position in the social strata could possibly influence their disposition to engage with others. These findings imply that practitioners in education ought to consider taking an iterative approach as they identify what, where, when and how digital games are (or are not) consistent with the courses’ learning outcomes and curriculum programmes. In conclusion, this paper opens-up some avenues for future research in the promising field of digital game-based learning.

Keywords: Education, Blended Learning, Education Technologies, Game Based Learning, Digital Games, Serious Games, Digital Stories

JEL Classification: I2, I20, I21, O3, O30, O31, O32, O33, O35, O38

Suggested Citation

Camilleri, Mark and Camilleri, Adriana, The Students' Perceptions of Digital Game-Based Learning (October 6, 2017). Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Games Based Learning, FH Joanneum University of Applied Science, Graz, Austria, October 2017, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3046433

Mark Camilleri (Contact Author)

University of Malta ( email )

Department of Corporate Communication,
Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences
Msida, MSD2080
Malta
79314808 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.um.edu.mt/profile/markacamilleri

University of Edinburgh ( email )

27 Buccheluech Place,
The Business School
Edinburgh, Scotland EH8 9JS
United Kingdom

Northwestern University ( email )

Evanston, IL
United States

Adriana Camilleri

University of Bath - Department of Psychology ( email )

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
352
Abstract Views
1,609
Rank
167,529
PlumX Metrics