Gamification and learning Spanish as a modern language: student perceptions in the university context

Gamification is a methodological strategy that has been applied for several years in the field of modern language learning. It is employed primarily to increase students’ motivation by incorporating game elements into an otherwise didactic context. Research into the use of gamification in language t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Language learning in higher education (Berlin, Germany) Germany), 2023-05, Vol.13 (1), p.89-103
Main Authors:	Batlle Rodríguez, Jaume, Vicenta González Argüello, María
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	College Students Computer Assisted Instruction Cooperative Learning Didacticism Educational activities Educational Attainment Foreign Countries Foreign language learning Game Based Learning Gamification Grammar Higher Education Instructional Effectiveness Language learner perception Learning Activities Learning environment Motivation Participant Observation Perceptions Second Language Instruction Second Language Learning Spanish Spanish as a modern foreign language Spanish as a second language Student Attitudes Student Motivation Students Teaching Methods Vocabulary Development Vocabulary learning
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Summary:	Gamification is a methodological strategy that has been applied for several years in the field of modern language learning. It is employed primarily to increase students’ motivation by incorporating game elements into an otherwise didactic context. Research into the use of gamification in language teaching has focused largely on characterizing the specific practices involved and on determining the degree of motivation elicited in students. There has been little examination of students’ perceptions of gamification or their assessment of its effectiveness for learning a modern language. This study analyses learner perception and motivation among a group of sixteen university students of Spanish as a modern foreign language following participation in a gamified learning experience. Analysis of the information gathered from student perception questionnaires and non-participant observation indicates that the students perceive progress in vocabulary learning but not in grammatical knowledge. The students also report a high level of motivation for the proposed learning activities due to the possibility of working collaboratively with their classmates. The article concludes with reflections on the relevance and didactic implications of gamification as a methodological strategy in modern foreign language teaching at higher education level.
ISSN:	2191-611X 2191-6128