Redesign principles of game-based learning: expectations from stakeholders in a developing country

Abstract

The attraction of game-based learning is strong as the educational experience is immediately gratifying and rewarding which inspires, challenges and engages young people. This paper examines two main aspects of principles in re- designing game-based learning in both school and out-of-school contexts. In 2011 Thailand was Southeast Asia’s biggest online game market. In 2012, the Thai government implemented the one-tablet-per-child project which allocated almost one million tablets to Grade One students nation-wide. The prime stakeholder groups involved in game-based-learning in Thailand have been students, parents and teachers. These three groups held different perspectives towards the advantages and disadvantages of game-based learning but all shared the same goal which was to stimulate an enhanced learning approach among learners. This study outlines the survey and interview results which investigated perceptions and anxieties toward game-based learning. This self-administered Internet-based survey yielded 236 responses. Just over half (53.4 per cent) were teachers. Almost two fifths (39.8%) were students which included elementary, secondary and university students while 6.8 per cent were parents. The statistical measures used to present the quantitative data were the frequency tables and the f-test. The qualitative data was derived from an open-ended question and face-to-face interviews. The diverse responses to game-based learning among the three groups of participants are discussed in detail.