title: The Influence of Game-Based Learning Media on Academic Vocabulary Semantic and Content Knowledge Learning in the EFL Context
Creators: name: Jia, Wen
Publisher: name: University of Liverpool Repository
Year: 2030

description: Despite the growing interest in game-based learning (GBL) over the last two decades, the influence of Augmented Reality (AR)-based GBL on English vocabulary growth is still not well understood when compared with other forms of media, especially with regard to academic English vocabulary. Given the limited evidence on AR supported game-based learning (AR-GBL) in academic vocabulary learning, this thesis targets to investigate the AR-GBL’s immediate recall and delayed retention effectiveness in academic vocabulary semantic and content knowledge learning in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context compared with digital supported GBL approach (D-GBL) and paper supported GBL approach (P-GBL). Meanwhile, this thesis also aims to probe students’ psychological states and perceptions of the three media based GBL approaches based on the embodied learning theory, thereby contributing to the current and ongoing efforts to understand how pedagogical technologies could reshape traditional second language (L2) classrooms. It leveraged an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to explore various media supported GBL’s effects on academic learning. First, a three-week 3×4 mixed-designed quasi-experiment was conducted on 90 EFL students at a key university in eastern China in three intact English major first-year language classrooms. Subsequently, a Game-Based Learning Perception Questionnaire survey was administered to participants to collect their self-reported learning effects and perceptions of three GBL approaches. Last, some representative participants’ subjective opinions identified from the qualitative data were further explored through follow-up semi-structured focus group interviews. The quasi-experiment results indicated that three media-based approaches exhibited significant immediate recall effects in semantic and content knowledge learning of 2 digestive system target words after the 60-minute intervention. However, AR-GBL’s effect on immediate recall of semantic knowledge learning was superior to D-BGL’s and equivalent to P-GB, but its immediate recall of content knowledge learning significantly outperformed the other two groups. For the delayed retention, although three approaches revealed no significant difference in one-week effects, the AR-GBL group revealed its marginally significant advantage over D-GBL in the semantic knowledge gaining, and significant superiority over both D-GBL and P-GBL in the content knowledge remains. Overall, the three media-based approaches all demonstrated their benefits in assisting EFL learners with academic vocabulary learning, while the AR-GBL approach emerges as a more profitable instructional medium in enhancing complicated and abstract English for Academic Purpose (EAP) content knowledge learning, especially in the long-term memory, compared with digital and paper media based GBL approaches. The survey results disclosed participants perceived usefulness of the GBL approach, but the AR-GBL group reported their more significant perceived usefulness in AR medium and significantly less anxiety than the other groups. All three groups enjoyed and engaged in their respective instructional procedures with low anxiety levels and cognitive load. The follow-up focus group interviews further dispensed interviewees’ in-depth accounts and explanations of their psychological states of enjoyment, engagement, anxiety, cognitive load, and perceived usefulness from their individual views. The study is significant for game-based learning research development, methodology, theory, and pedagogy. In research development, this study extends the extant gamebased vocabulary learning research from general to academic vocabulary; it not only adds more evidence on GBL’s effects on immediate recall but also adds some new evidence on its long-term delayed retention effectiveness by comparing multiple media. Moreover, this study sheds light on the feasibility of combining AR and GBL for the Arts and Humanities discipline as it proved for science and engineering. 3 Methodologically, the more complicated 3×4 experimental design and concurrent triangulation mixed-methods provide more nuanced and in-depth insights into the GBL learning procedures supported by different media. Theoretically, the establishment of the Embodied Immersion Learning Environment Framework sheds new insights into GBL theory from the perspective of cognitive science. Last, in pedagogical practice, the current study highlights the importance of utilizing the unique advantages of each GBL approach and leveraging spaced learning to optimize academic English vocabulary learning in an EFL setting