Endowing a game-based learning hub for augmenting teaching and learning: Design, constellations and perceptions from a teachers perspective

Abstract

Game-based learning is viewed as an immersive and pedagogically rich approach to enhancing teaching and learning in schools. However, teachers may feel overwhelmed from the dispersed, disorganised and invalidated plethora of game-based resources circulated over the Web that needs to be collected, reviewed and repurposed for designing and orchestrating game-based learning. This paper presents the design requirements of a game-based learning platform that may help teachers to find, retrieve, re-use and share game-based learning along with opportunities of augmenting teachers' creative potential and professional development. The paper also contemplates on qualitative findings of a small-scale study (n=18) on teachers' different perceptions of game-based learning and constellations of employing a digital platform for increasing awareness and practice in the classroom. An empirically-based framework is developed that maps perceptions to actual practice. The findings may contribute to developing discourse on processes, practices and strategies that teachers would employ, which in turn would inform the design of GBL systems dedicated to support teachers in their effort to use game-based learning most relevant to them.