| dc.description.abstract | In traditional classroom settings, most teachers use lecturing methods to teach mathematics, which results in a lack of two-way interaction opportunities between teachers and students, leading to a diminished interest in learning. To address this issue, strategies that can enhance learning motivation, such as game-based learning, need to be adopted. However, past research has primarily focused on the impact of game-based learning on improving learning achievement and motivation, with mixed opinions, and there has been a lack of discussion and analysis on various factors such as individual differences and feedback forms. Therefore, based on the aforementioned research background and motivation, the purpose of this study is to explore the effects of integrating game-based learning into mathematics teaching and to analyze whether this teaching method can improve students′ learning achievement and motivation. Additionally, the study analyzes the impact of individual differences (such as gender and prior knowledge) and feedback forms on learning achievement and motivation, and examines the correlations between these variables.
The study primarily adopts a quantitative approach with supplementary qualitative elements. It involves 56 sixth-grade students from three classes in a primary school in Taoyuan City. The students were divided into different learning environment groups: 37 students from two classes as the experimental group and 19 students from one class as the control group. Within the experimental group, further analyses were conducted based on gender (boys, girls), prior knowledge (high, low), and feedback type (with detailed feedback, without detailed feedback), to assess the impact of game-based learning using the PaGamO platform on learning achievements and motivation. The study spanned five weeks, with bi-weekly tests conducted after each week′s lessons: the experimental group used the PaGamO platform for tests, while the control group used traditional practice papers. At the end of the experiment, eight students from the experimental group were selected for semi-structured interviews. Research tools included prior knowledge tests, mathematics achievement tests, mathematics learning motivation scales, feedback on PaGamO platform usage, and interview records. Data analysis methods included reliability analysis, paired samples t-test, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation analysis, descriptive statistics, and qualitative analysis.
The results of this study are as follows: (1) There was no significant difference in the improvement of mathematics learning achievement between the experimental group (digital game-based learning) and the control group (traditional practice sheets). However, the experimental group (digital game-based learning) showed significantly higher overall mathematics learning motivation compared to the control group (traditional practice sheets); (2) The impact of gender differences on the effectiveness of digital game-based learning was not significant, with no notable difference in mathematics learning achievement between boys and girls. In terms of learning motivation, there was no significant difference in overall mathematics learning motivation between boys and girls, but there was a significant difference in the ＂attention＂ subcategory of mathematics learning motivation, with boys scoring significantly higher than girls. This result is consistent with the correlation analysis and qualitative analysis results; (3) The impact of prior knowledge differences on the effectiveness of digital game-based learning was significant. Digital game-based learning was more beneficial for the high prior knowledge group, with both mathematics achievement test scores and learning motivation significantly higher than those of the low prior knowledge group. However, the digital game-based learning environment was still helpful for the low prior knowledge group, as their mathematics achievement test scores showed a greater improvement. This result is consistent with the correlation analysis and qualitative analysis results; (4) The differences in feedback forms resulted in varying outcomes for learning achievement and learning motivation in digital game-based learning. The detailed feedback group showed significantly higher improvement in mathematics learning achievement compared to the non-detailed feedback group, as the comprehensive graphical and textual analysis content helped enhance the understanding of mathematical knowledge. However, there was no significant difference in mathematics learning motivation. This result is consistent with the qualitative analysis results.
Based on these findings, integrating digital game-based learning into mathematics curriculum significantly enhances students′ motivation to learn mathematics, while the impact on improving learning achievements may not be significant due to the relatively short duration of use. Additionally, the study revealed the varied effects of several variables including gender differences, prior knowledge, and feedback types on primary school students′ mathematics learning achievements and motivation in a digital game-based learning environment. These results provide valuable insights for future research and practical applications. | en_US |