Game-Based Learning: Current Practices and Perceptions of Secondary School Physics Teachers in Malaysia

Abstract

A plethora of studies showed the effectiveness of game-based learning (GBL) in enhancing students’ learning and motivation. There has been increasing academic interest in GBL. However, a review of past literature in this context shows that teachers’ attitudes, in general, toward GBL and the actual adoption of GBL in teaching physics by secondary school teachers in Malaysia have not been addressed in-depth or addressed only to a minor extent in past studies. This article sheds new light on secondary school physics teachers’ perceptions of GBL usage, the implementation level of GBL in teaching physics, and teachers’ involvement in educational games design. A total of 211 secondary school physics teachers participated in this study. Quantitative data were collected via survey, and the main findings show that only 29.9 percent of teachers designed educational physics games and adopted the games in teaching physics. The implementation level of GBL in teaching physics at the secondary school level is relatively low, even though teachers showed high interest in the involvement of educational game design. The main reason for not adopting GBL is inadequate technical infrastructure in schools, followed by a lack of knowledge and skills as well as time constraints. The findings of this study can be a cornerstone for related stakeholders to build a more efficient paradigm of GBL in physics education.