The impact of a forfeit-or-prize gamified teaching on e-learners' learning performance. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ge, Zi-Gang
• Is Part Of: Computers & education. Volume 126(2018)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 152
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Game-based learning -- Reward strategy -- E-learning -- Learning motivation -- Learning anxiety; Education -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Computers -- Periodicals; Computer-Assisted Instruction -- Periodicals; Éducation -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 370.285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2018.07.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-1315

Abstract

Abstract: The present study aims to explore the impact of three reward strategies on adult e-learners' learning performance in a gamified teaching process. One hundred and eighty participants who were recruited for the experiment were evenly assigned to three groups, with Group A adopting the forfeit-or-prize reward strategy, Group B employing the prize-only reward strategy, and Group C applying the no-prize-no-forfeit strategy. A pretest, an immediate posttest, a delayed posttest and two questionnaires were adopted as instruments for the study. The results showed that the forfeit-or-prize pattern and the prize-only pattern could exert a significantly better impact on the e-learners' learning than the no-prize-no-forfeit pattern. Additionally, the forfeit-or-prize pattern elicited better knowledge retention than the prize-only pattern. The two questionnaires revealed that the forfeit-or-prize pattern and the prize-only pattern could stimulate students' motivation in learning, although a high-level anxiety was perceived by the subjects assigned to the forfeit-or-prize pattern. Possible explanations and implications are discussed. Highlights: Three reward strategies were compared. A quiz game teaching was adopted in teaching adult e-leaners. Reward strategies were tested for their impact on knowledge retention.