Potential Barriers to the Implementation of Digital Game-Based Learning in the Classroom: Pre-service Teachers’ Views

Abstract

Τeachers seek to attract students’ attention by demonstrating the relevance of learning content to daily activities and enhancing their students’ self-esteem and satisfaction. In the digital world, an example of an innovative learning tool is digital games. Digital game learning (DGBL) is a smart pedagogical approach that utilises digital games. DGBL has a prominent place in learning technologies due to the potentiality of games to engage students, enabling them to effortlessly reach the edges of their competencies, skills, and knowledge. Teachers, students and games per se constitute important agents for the successful and effective implementation of DGBL. In this context, our research was extended to cover the study of teachers’ and students’ perceptions of DGBL. More specifically, the purpose of this research was to examine the pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the barriers to DGBL implementation. To that end, an online survey with closed-ended questions and one open-ended question was conducted. In this paper, we present the answers to the open-ended question. Quantitative and qualitative data processing and analysis were carried out. According to the pre-service teachers’ responses, it is concluded that a major obstacle is the inefficient allocation of available financial resources. Resources are required for the supply of up-to-date equipment, devices and educational software, as well as for the professional development and training of teachers, school administrators and policymakers. Utilizing easy-to-use and inexpensive devices, which most teachers and even students hold, is the answer to the hurdle called “lack of equipment”. Therefore, the implementation of the DGBL, as a smart and innovative pedagogical approach, is primarily a matter of political will to curriculum reform based on ongoing research into appropriate digital learning materials.

Waking Up In the Morning (WUIM): A Smart Learning Environment for Students with Learning Difficulties

“…A major obstacle to its implementation is the reluctant attitude of teachers, which is greatly affected by the lack of appropriate educational material. In terms of educational material, research on digital game implementation in schools concludes that teachers are also reluctant with a neutral attitude towards the utilization of digital games in their lessons [69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77]. The main obstacles mentioned by teachers are the lack of financial resources, teacher training and professional development, and limited technological equipment [72].…”

“…In terms of educational material, research on digital game implementation in schools concludes that teachers are also reluctant with a neutral attitude towards the utilization of digital games in their lessons [69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77]. The main obstacles mentioned by teachers are the lack of financial resources, teacher training and professional development, and limited technological equipment [72]. Aware of these parameters, the transdisciplinary design team decided to develop WUIM in such a way to be know-how for the development of low-cost gaming applications using everyday devices.…”

“…In our case, puzzles, AR, and VR are combined by children to create a comprehensive learning experience. teachers are also reluctant with a neutral attitude towards the utilization of digital games in their lessons [69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77]. The main obstacles mentioned by teachers are the lack of financial resources, teacher training and professional development, and limited technological equipment [72].…”

Checked Out? Videogame Programming in U.S. Libraries and Implications for Videogame Literacies

“…Research reveals that common barriers to the uptake of videogames and game elements include lack of training and resources, lack of interest, quality and user‐friendliness of hardware and software, and overall impact on content (i.e., fit) and classroom management (cf. Kaimara et al, 2021; Sánchez‐Mena & Martí‐Parreño, 2017).…”

Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge and Attitudes toward Digital-Game-Based Language Learning

“…However, a few voices were against the educational use of such games on the grounds of alleged ineffective learning structures, pedagogical inadequacies, and distracting factors [39][40][41]. According to Kaimara et al [42], 'recent findings concluded that teachers were unwilling to adopt digital educational games because they were not really convinced that games are very useful for enhancing their job' (p. 827). However, there is ample evidence that digital games can be effectively used to reinforce certain cognitive skills such as problem solving, risk taking, and reasoning [43,44].…”