Gamified MALL: Are Game Elements Key to Learning Mandarin?

摘要

This study was an attempt to gain insights on undergraduates’ perceived motivation in using Gamified Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), Memrise, for learning Mandarin vocabulary. Previous research have shown that learning Mandarin vocabulary can be challenging and thusto keep students motivated, an alternative approach should be used. Prior studies have shown that gamification has the potential to motivate specific behaviors in individuals. Thus, the gamification elements inside the Gamified MALL were scrutinized to discover which played significant rolesin motivating these students. A total of eighty students from a public university in the northern region of Malaysia were recruited to participate in this survey research. They were exposed to the Memrise app for two months and had to complete three various levels before they were requiredto answer the online questionnaire. Only sixty-five questionnaires were returned and findings showed that the gamification elements such as “various modes,” “levels,” “points,” “flower growth (progress),” and “progress report” motivatesthem to use the MALL. Based on the result, Gamified MALL can be incorporated as a learning approach to enhance undergraduates’ Mandarin vocabulary.