智慧型手機遊戲APP在英語學習的成效研究： 以英語動名搭配詞學習為例

Abstract

本研究使用Android手機遊戲以實踐無所不在的遊戲式學習。現在越來越多的高中學生擁有智慧型手機，遊戲類的手機應用程式在學生族群當中不僅容易取得也越來越受歡迎。文獻當中已有實證研究更指出使用電動遊戲、線上遊戲、或網頁動畫遊戲對學習英文單字的有幫助的。但是，少有研究針對使用智慧型手機遊戲學習英文進行探究。本研究旨在了解智慧型手機遊戲APP是否能促成課堂外的學習，以及是否對學習有實質的幫助。 本研究設計一搭配詞學習的遊戲APP。為了瞭解使用該遊戲學習搭配是否有效，本研究由23位高中、職學生組成遊戲組，32位高中學生組成傳統組。遊戲組使用該遊戲APP進行10天的搭配詞學習。傳統組則透過背誦搭配詞表、閱讀例句和寫練習題學習相同的搭配詞，並定期於課堂進行小考。遊戲組和對傳統組皆接受相同的前測和後測。遊戲組施以問卷調查，以了解他們對使用APP遊戲學習搭配詞的感受。 研究結果顯示遊戲組在前後測成績有顯著差異，使用APP遊戲學習搭配詞是有效的。研究更進一步發現使用遊戲的總時間量和進步分數有適度相關，而遊戲使用的關卡量和進步分數並無相關。傳統組的後測成績也明顯高於前測成績，經獨立樣本分析比較遊戲組和傳統組的後測成績，發現兩組的後測成績並無顯著差異。遊戲組對該學習經驗的整體感受以及手機為平台使用遊戲進行學習皆為滿意；表示會期待更多英文學習的APP遊戲。在學習後，遊戲組亦對搭配詞學習的重要性產生正面的態度。遊戲組認為使用手機APP遊戲學習搭配詞的好處是：隨時隨地都能學習、玩遊戲時不容易受到所處環境的影響而分心。而缺點是：如果只是為了學到內容，使用APP遊戲學習有些缺乏效率；遊戲設計重遊戲技巧多於搭配詞知識；遊戲缺乏整體的複習系統。學習者也提出改善遊戲的建議：改用直接的遊戲方式；增加不同關卡的變化性；已過關的搭配詞列表呈現、方便複習。

This study used Android mobile phones to embody game-based learning that can be carried out at anytime and anywhere. While previous studies have shown the effectiveness of using video games, online games or web-based flash games to learn English vocabulary, very few study examined the effectiveness of using smart phone games, which are portable and usually of casual designs, on English learning. Smart phone gaming applications are becoming increasingly accessible and popular among high school students. The study aimed to understand whether this uprising of smart phone gaming applications offer opportunities of encouraging students to carry out informal learning and whether playing smart phones English learning games results in actual learning. Students’ perception of learning via smart phone games was also explored to better understand the limitations and opportunities of learning via playing smart phone games. A smart phone collocation game was designed for this study. To understand the effectiveness of using the collocation game, a group of 23 high school students were recruited to form gaming group which played the collocation game for ten days. Another 32 high school students were recruited to form a traditional group. They studied the same collocations via memorizing collocation lists, reading example sentences and taking regular quizzes. Both groups took a pretest and a post-test. The gaming group’s experiences and perception of learning via playing the smart phone were explored by questionnaires. The results showed that the gaming group achieved significantly higher scores in post-tests. This study further shows that there is a moderate correlation between the total amount of time spent on the game and the improvement scores. The number of levels played, however, was not associated with the improvement scores in this study. The traditional group was found to improve significantly, too. A comparison between the two groups’ post-test scores showed no significant differences. The study found the gaming group was satisfied with the overall learning experiences and the physical condition of playing the collocation game on smart phones. They also showed positive attitudes toward collocation learning after the game play. The learners perceived advantages of learning via playing the smart phone game as quick plays/learning at anytime and anywhere and quick immersion of playing/learning in different contexts. They also pointed out disadvantages of using the collocation game to learn collocations and suggested directions for improving the game.