The Effects of Using Gamified Assessment Strategies on the Vocabulary Learning Processes of EFL Students

Abstract

Prime Today, the prevalence of games and the fact that they are played by millions of people has revealed the idea that games can also be used for entertainment purposes. Foreign language teaching is also seen as one of these purposes. It has been emphasized in the literature that when used effectively, games are very effective in the learning processes of students by preventing negative factors such as boredom, distraction and lack of motivation arising from traditional teaching environments. In addition, it has been revealed that more permanent and effective learning occurs because they provide a fun learning environment for students. In addition, it was stated that the games were very effective in the evaluation phase. In this context, in this study, it is aimed to investigate the effects of the use of gamified assessment method on students' foreign language vocabulary learning processes. For this purpose, explanatory mixed research method was used. A total of 56 English teacher candidates, 28 of which were in the experimental group and 28 in the control group, participated in the study. Within the scope of the study, a vocabulary test consisting of 100 questions was applied to the students both in control and experimental groups as a pre-test. In the four-week application, the students were asked to study on the word list, containing 25 words each week, given to them on a weekly basis, the students in the control group were assessed with the traditional quiz method and the students in the experimental group were assessed with gamified assessment method using the Kahoot application. At the end of the application, the same exam was applied again as a post-test and the results were reported. As a result of the analyzes, it was revealed that the students who were assessed with the gamified assessment method were more successful in the vocabulary exam than the students who were assessed with the traditional quiz method. Based on the results obtained, suggestions for future studies were also made in the study.

Keywords

• Gamified Assessment
• Vocabulary Learning
• English Language Teaching
• Game-Based Language Teaching.

Oyunlaştırılmış Değerlendirme Yöntemlerinin İngilizce Öğretmen Adaylarının Kelime Öğrenme Süreçlerine Etkisi

Abstract

Günümüzde oyunların yaygınlaşması ve milyonlarca insan tarafından oynanıyor olması oyunların eğlence amacının dışında da kullanılabileceği fikrini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Yabancı dil öğretimi de bu amaçlardan biri olarak görülmektedir. Etkili kullanıldıklarında, oyunların öğrencilerin geleneksel öğretim ortamlarından kaynaklanan sıkılma, dikkat dağınıklığı ve motivasyon eksikliği gibi olumsuz faktörleri önleyerek öğrenme süreçlerinde oldukça etkili olduğu literatürde vurgulanmıştır. Ayrıca, oyunların öğrencilere eğlenerek öğrenme ortamı sağladıkları için daha kalıcı ve etkili öğrenmenin gerçekleştiği, aynı zamanda oyunların değerlendirme aşamasında da oldukça etkili olduğu belirtilmiştir. Bu doğrultuda, çalışma kapsamında oyunlaştırılmış değerlendirme yöntemi kullanımının öğrencilerin yabancı dil kelime öğrenme süreçleri üzerindeki etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda açıklayıcı karma desen araştırma yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Çalışmaya 28 deney 28 kontrol grubu olmak üzere toplam 56 İngilizce öğretmen adayı öğrenci katılmıştır. Uygulama kapsamında öncelikle öğrencilere 100 sorudan oluşan bir kelime sınavı ön-test olarak uygulanmıştır. Dört hafta boyunca süren uygulamada öğrencilerin haftalık olarak kendilerine verilen kelime listesine çalışmaları istenmiş, kontrol grubundaki öğrenciler geleneksel quiz yöntemi ile deney grubundaki öğrenciler ise Kahoot tabanlı oyunlaştırılmış değerlendirme yöntemi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Uygulama sonunda aynı kelime sınavı son-test olarak uygulanmış ve sonuçlar raporlanmıştır. Analizler sonucunda oyunlaştırılmış değerlendirme yöntemiyle değerlendirilen öğrencilerin geleneksel quiz yöntemiyle değerlendirilen öğrencilere göre hem süreç içi hem de süreç sonunda yapılan değerlendirmede daha başarılı oldukları ortaya çıkmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlardan yola çıkarak, çalışmada ayrıca ileride yapılacak olan çalışmalara yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

• Oyunlaştırılmış Değerlendirme
• Kelime Öğrenme Becerisi
• Yabancı Dil Öğretimi
• Yabancı Dilde Oyun Tabanlı Öğrenme.

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