EFL students' attitudes towards gamified learning activities and their learning engagement at Viet Anh Primary school in Vung Tau City: Master of TESOL

Abstract

Gamification’s benefits have been extensively acknowledged in a massive body of work, both philosophically and experimentally. However the research on gamification is popular, but the research on gamification that applied to and considered the views of young learners as primary ESL learners have not yet been clarified. Thus, the present study covers the research gap by conducting mixed-method research to explore the EFL students’ attitudes towards and their engagement in gamified learning activities in the context of Viet Anh Primary School in Vung Tau. This study includes 84 boys and girls students from grade 4 and grade 5 at Viet Anh Primary School in Vung Tau City. A mixed-method research design was implemented, and data was collected through students’ questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study divulged that 4th and 5th-grade students at Viet Anh Primary School had positive attitudes toward gamified English learning activities in the EFL classroom. Furthermore, they expressed positive and active engagement in gamified English learning activities. Also, the results revealed a positive relationship between EFL students’ attitudes and their learning engagement in gamified English learning activities. In other words, an increase in students’ attitudes could increase their engagement with gamified English learning activities.