EAL Instructors’ Attitudes towards Game-based Learning Adoption in Education: An Exploration of Obstacles

Abstract

The objective of the current study is to explore teachers’ attitudes towards obstacles in game-based learning (GBL) in English as an additional language (EAL) context. The study used a survey with open-ended questions and interviews to collect data. The survey data was gathered from eight university EAL teachers. Four of the survey respondents participated in interviews to explore the obstacles to using GBL. The qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis and description. As a result of the analysis of open-ended questions and interview data, three themes associated with the obstacles of GBL namely, lack of time, lack of resources, and students’ preferences emerged. The implication of the study is that teachers acknowledge the benefits of GBL, but they need support for further professional development.