Gamification, a novel pedagogical method to overcome the challenge of teaching Spanish in Chinese Universities

Abstract

A strong traditional identity pervades People´s Republic of China, the Red Dragon. Nowadays, the country still shows deep-rooted teaching values as well as other moral standards that determine the Chinese conception of the learning process. Although there has been a gradual switch from old teaching techniques to adopting a variety of modern approaches in the classroom, the abovementioned facts yet affect the roles of both students and teachers, together with the prevailing methods used during lectures, generating a situation that might appear contradictory to foreign teachers. Conversely, in the West, Gamification –a new pedagogical strategy– has proved that immersive experiences not only increase the learner’s motivation, but also foster the teaching-learning process. This article reviews the current situation of teaching Spanish as a foreign language in mainland China and explores the frameworks of the country’s undergraduate degrees in Spanish Studies. This essay attempts to introduce Gamification as an effective alternative to traditional Spanish lectures in the Asian giant, supporting this belief with exiting literature and case studies that have proved to be successful to this end.