Abstract:

Game-based teaching is an innovative and effective 21st-century teaching methodology for fostering learning through playing and enjoyment. Learning is known to be effective where learners take ownership of their work and are motivated enough to consistently engage with their learning materials. The current focus of education is to equip learners with 21st-century skills, most of which are hinged on computer literacy. Computer skills are critical for student’s success at tertiary institutions in the 21st-century context, as well as to accomplish many day-to-day tasks and hence it is important that they gain this essential skill early. A significant number of first-year students at tertiary institutions in developing countries cannot operate a computer due to their underprivileged backgrounds. This is often overlooked by many lecturers, assuming that every university student is computer literate. Lack of computer skills adversely affect students and may reduce their chances of academic success.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of gamification as a method that may be used to effectively equip computer illiterate and novice users with basic computer skills. In this paper, we looked at how computer skills may be gained and improved for the computer illiterate and novice users respectively. We undertook a longitudinal study in a high school situated in an impoverished community in South Africa. Purposive sampling was done to select participants. 52 learners took part as our sample group, with another 52 as a control group. We focused on the effect of gamification on both typing speed and accuracy. An experiment was conducted using two groups: the sample and control, both of which had no computer skills. The intervention was given to the sample in the form of gamification, using a computer-based software. Quantitative data was recorded for the typing speed and accuracy, and observations were made on the ease at which subjects navigated their computers. For the control group, the same intervention was given, but with game elements removed. We used a quantitative approach in design, and statistical methods were used to analyze data and draw conclusions.

The results of our study show that the sample group significantly improved their computer skills compared to the control group. We, therefore, conclude that using gamification significantly improved their computer skills. Therefore, we recommend gamification for basic computer skills training.

Keywords:

Gamification, computer literacy, game-based learning, typing skills.