The benefits of a challenge: student motivation and flow experience in tablet-PC-game-based learning

Abstract

Advances in technology have led to continuous innovation in teaching and learning methods. For instance, the use of tablet PCs (TPCs) in classroom instruction has been shown to be effective in attracting and motivating students' interest and increasing their desire to participate in learning activities. In this paper, we used a TPCs gamean iPad app called Motion Math: Hungry Fish -to help young students learn to theoretically understand and practically implement the mathematical concepts of addition and subtraction. Based on findings from a pilot study, we categorized the game's 18 levels of difficulty into "challenging" (experimental group) and "matching" (control group) games. We aimed to investigate whether challenging games were more able than matching games to improve the students' motivation, flow experience, self-efficacy for technology, self-efficacy for science, feelings about the TPC game, and satisfaction with the learning approach. The findings showed that the students in the experimental group achieved better flow experience, learning performance, and satisfaction.

Effects of Comparison and Game-Challenge on Sixth Graders’ Algebra Variable Learning Achievement, Learning Attitude, and Meta-Cognitive Awareness

“…Such design not only motivated students but helped them gain a sense of achievement. The result supports findings of da Rocha Seixas, et al (2016) and Hung et al (2015). Additionally, this study further explores the potential of simple challenge design in which the sub-goals, the rewards, and levels are simple and direct rather than complex or too visual-oriented feedback.…”

“…Fullagar, Knight, & Sovern, 2013;Hung, Sun, & Yu, 2015). Previous studies indicated that students would learn how to overcome the given challenges that typically start off easy-levels and then become more difficult when students' abilities improve (Hamari et al, 2016;McGonigal, 2011).…”

“…First, a clear goal directly indicates the required action or outcomes so that students know what to do in tasks. It makes the process of task accomplishment more effective, and when the progress to reach a goal is presented, the following rewards and levels are more efficient and meaningful to students (Hung et al, 2015). Second, a reward is to represent the progress of a task and be presented after a certain action (e.g.…”

Challenging games help students learn: An empirical study on engagement, flow and immersion in game-based learning

“…In the game-based learning and gamification contexts specifically, studies predict that learning and gamified curricula will become more and more commonplace as a method to invoke engagement and flow in students (Crisp, 2014). Moreover, studies have found these technologies do indeed invoke flow experiences Procci, Singer, Levy, & Bowers, 2012) and have the potential to affect consequent learning outcomes (Barzilai & Blau, 2014;Brom et al, 2014a;Chang, Wu, Weng, & Sung, 2012;Hung, Sun, & Yu, 2015;Liu, Cheng, & Huang, 2011;Sabourin & Lester, 2014) although there are also studies that find no significant association (e.g. Brom, Bromov a, D echt erenko, Buchtov a, & Pergel, 2014b).…”

Reason and Emotion: How They Drive Students to Play a Color Game

“…tactile, visual and auditory) experiences, but also motivate them to actively engage in immersive learning (Hung, Sun, & Yu, 2015). It is because the touchscreens of mobile devices serve as a congenial interface for students to intuitively interact with the virtual objects in the games simply by tapping and sliding on the screens with their fingertips (Hung et al, 2015).…”