The Effects of Incorporating an Electronic Book into Digital Game-Based Learning: A Prior Knowledge Perspective

Abstract

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) and electronic books (E-books) can provide students with different benefits. Accordingly, one aim of this study was to incorporate an E-book into DGBL to develop a Digital Entertaining English Learning (DEEL). However, individual differences exist among learners, especially prior knowledge. To this end, the other aim of this study was to provide a complete understanding of the effects of prior knowledge on student learning in the context of DEEL. Hence, we conducted empirical investigation, where learners’ reactions to the DEEL were analyzed with quantitative methods and the lag sequential analyses. An independent variable was prior knowledge while dependent variables were test performance, task performance and learning behavior. Regardless of test performance or task performance, results indicated that high prior knowledge learners (HPK) performed better than low prior knowledge learners (LPK). Regarding learning behavior, LPK more frequently used the grammar E-book than HPK, especially pictorial illustration. Additionally, LPK moved between the text description and pictorial illustration with a bidirectional approach while HPK viewed the text description and pictorial illustration with a unidirectional approach. Based on these findings, we developed a framework, which can be applied to personalize the DEEL so that learners’ learning experience can be improved.

Keywords:

• Electronic books
• game-based learning
• prior knowledge

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China, Taiwan (MOST 111-2410-H-008-014-MY2 and MOST 108-2629-H-008-001-SS3).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sherry Y. Chen

Sherry Y. Chen is currently a Chair Professor at Graduate Institute of Network Learning Technology, National Central University, Taiwan. She was granted an Outstanding Scholar Award from the Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship, Taiwan in 2010 and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan in 2017.

Tzu-Chun Hsiao

Tzu-Chun Hsiao was a research student at the Graduate Institute of Network Learning Technology, National Central University, Taiwan.