The Case of a Multiplication Skills Game: Teachers’ Viewpoint on MG’s Dashboard and OSLM Features

Abstract

Educational games and digital game-based learning (DGBL) provide pupils interactive, engaging, intelligent, and motivating learning environments. According to research, digital games can support students’ learning and enhance their motivation to learn. Given the central role teachers play in the learning process, their perceptions of DGBL play a significant role in the usage and effectiveness of game-based learning. This paper presents the main findings of an online research on primary school teachers’ attitudes toward DGBL. Furthermore, the research investigates teachers’ opinions about the functionalities provided by the implemented Multiplication Game (MG) and the newly incorporated teacher dashboard. The MG is an assessment and skills improvement tool that integrates an adaptation mechanism that identifies student weaknesses on the multiplication tables and in its latest version also supports a strong social parameter. Students can be informed about their own progress as well as the progress of their peers in an effort to examine if social interaction or competition can increase players’ motivation, which is a subject that raised some concerns in the teaching community. The paper describes the functional options offered by the MG dashboard and documents the outcomes of an online survey conducted with the participation of 182 primary school teachers. The survey indicated the potential usefulness of MG and the benefits it can offer as a learning tool to improve pupil multiplication skills and help teachers identify individual pupil skills and difficulties and adapt their teaching accordingly. The analysis applied has found a correlation between teachers’ perceptions about MG and their view on using digital games in general.

Effect of OSLM features and gamification motivators on motivation in DGBL: pupils' viewpoint

“…As teachers play a very significant role in adopting (or not) digital games in the teaching process (Baek, 2008 ; Bakar et al, 2006 ; Bourgonjon et al, 2013 ; De Grove et al, 2012 ; Leonardou, Rigou, Panagiotarou, et al, 2021a , 2021b ; Teo, 2008 ), it is very important to record their experience about using MG themselves and their pupils too. Teachers’ evaluation of MG has been quite encouraging, as they seem to be convinced of the entertaining, educational and assessing role MG can play in formal instructional conditions which is also indicated by relative work about MG (Leonardou et al, 2021a , 2021b ) and about digital game in general (Allsop et al, 2013 ; Barbour et al, 2009 ; Bourgonjon et al, 2013 ; Clark & Mayer, 2016 ; De Grove et al, 2012 ; Huizenga et al, 2017 ; Proctor & Marks, 2013 ; Ruggiero, 2013 ).…”

“…It is a web-based practice and progress monitoring application supporting scientific and educational aims. More details on how MG functions are presented in previous studies (Leonardou et al, 2019a , 2019b ; Leonardou et al, 2021a , 2021b ). This study focuses on the incorporation of gamification motivators in this last MG version aimed at enhancing MG’s motivational role: points (coins), avatar icon, visualization of level achievements (current and previous), NPC characters giving information (Fig.…”

“…6 ), and (2) visualization of the aggregated progress of all pupils in the class (Fig. 7 ), for more details see (Leonardou et al, 2021a , 2021b ).

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Level Up Literacy: Unveiling English Teachers' Gamified Learning Adventure in Primary Education

“…Teachers exhibit positive attitudes toward gamified learning, recognizing it as an innovative approach to foster innovative teaching methods (Saez-Lopez et al, 2022;Sanjincic et al, 2022;Wong et al, 2020). They express a willingness to integrate gamification into teaching practices, perceiving it as valuable and conducive to student-centered learning (Alajaji et al, 2021;Leonardou et al, 2021). Despite obstacles, teachers remain enthusiastic about the potential of gamified learning to support instruction and benefit student learning (Leonardou et al, 2021).…”

Game-Based Learning, Gamification in Education and Serious Games

“…Leonardou et al [5] present the main findings of an online study on primary school teachers' attitudes toward digital game-based learning (DGBL), given the central role teachers play in the learning process. Furthermore, this research investigates teachers' opinions about the functionalities provided by one exemplary case, the Multiplication Game (MG), and the integrated teacher dashboard.…”