Gamification and its potential for foreign language learning - lessons from a six-week gamified moodle course for german as a foreign language at secondary school level

Abstract

One of the main challenges in Dutch education are students who may not be much interested in language learning. Gamification may have the potential to let today’s students enjoy learning. This dissertation has three main aims. The first aim is to examine how Gamification affects secondary school learners’ experience in the FL/L2 classroom. The second aim is to find out which playing patterns appear in a gamified online course. Finally, third aim is to better understand how the Moodle app supports a gamified language programme. These aims contribute to a better understanding of the affordances of Gamification in FL/L2 education, specifically in the context of a secondary school. An Exploratory Research (ER) was conducted to examine the learners’ experience in gamified language learning. A technology-assisted gamified language course for German as a Foreign Language, called MISSION BERLIN, was developed, implemented and evaluated. Data collection methods include semi-structured focus group interviews with all students, an online survey and Moodle logs. Results indicate that there are certain game elements that are more useful in a mobile Moodle environment than others, and that structure and duration of the course and visual design of the Moodle platform influence the students’ learning experience. The dissertation concludes with suggested improvements and final considerations for the implementation of a gamified course for FL/L2 learning.