Abstract:

In the present post-Covid era, the education system has undergone rapid changes in its teaching and learning processes. The United Nations’ SDG goal #4 calls for all countries to develop and cultivate Quality Education, where innovative teaching practices are to be implemented. Going beyond the physical classrooms, course designs have thus embraced technology and the Internet, inviting online activities and approaches to reside within the teaching and learning processes. In doing so, these hybrid classes ideally will allow students to enjoy a blended learning environment, where they can learn both physically and online. However, practically, this has not been optimally achieved, with many classes still opting for the traditional, lecture-based only classes, primarily due to a lack of confidence in teachers in incorporating technology and adopting the appropriate pedagogy to support the redesign of classes in this new normal. Consequently, students’ collaboration and interactions with their peers and with the course content are still low, and educators are still challenged to provide them with more meaningful and engaging learning experiences. In Malaysia, the Malaysia Blueprint for Higher Education (2015-2025) presents Malaysian educators with 10 shifts to implement in their educational framework in a move towards developing 21st century skills among learners in tertiary education.

Research has shown that game-based learning (GBL) has the potential to address this issue. Rooted in Constructivism, game-based learning supports and implements Constructivism’s “learning by doing” approach. Gee (2005) has posited that GBL can affect the learning process through 3 drivers:
1) Empowering the learner through an immersive involvement in the game environment,
2) Creating collaborative problem-solvers through competition and challenging scenarios, and
3) Promoting deep learning through strategy, decision-making and generating new knowledge to apply to solutions. By gamifying the learning environment, students can experience richer interactions with their peers, active learning participation, and apply their knowledge to game scenarios.

In this research, the course was redesigned to incorporate GBL approaches. A 3D game with Artificial Intelligence (AI) support was developed and presented to students to help them learn their course content while engaging in competition, problem-solving, collaboration and deep learning. A mixed method research study was conducted on design students taking their Diploma in Creative Multimedia in the faculty. Students worked in groups and competed against other groups to win the game, which was based on their course content. AI support was provided to assist them throughout the game and provide feedback on their performances. A Likert scale survey was administered to gauge their perceptions of the GBL environment, supported by their comments and feedback . Findings show that students were highly motivated to finish the game, enjoyed the gamified environment and were actively engaged in their learning process. These positive results lend significant support to the use of GBL as an effective instructional strategy to encourage higher levels of engagement, participation and enjoyment from students in their courses.

Keywords:

Game-Based Learning (GBL), Malaysia, technology, 3D, AI, Constructivism.