VIDEO GAME BASED LEARNING AS A FRAMEWORK FOR EFL/ ESL SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Meriem Bakkali¹, Maryeme Ouchen^2
1Professor Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, University Mohammed V, Rabat MOROCCO, meriem.bakkali@gmail.com
²Professor Faculty of Languages, Arts and Human Sciences, Ait Melloul-Ibn Zohr University Agadir MOROCCO, maryeme.ouchen@hotmail.fr

Abstract

Teaching theories have contended that the learning-teaching process witnesses a wide gap between digital natives, “students who were born in a digital world”, and digital immigrants “teachers who … are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language” (Prensky 2001). The widespread of globalization and digital technology, make the world a tightly connected social network where the virtual space has almost become an alternative for the real one in all dimensions of the social sphere. The Moroccan educational system has also been influenced by such a digital ongoing evolution such as the reshuffling of programs, the implementation of ICT in teaching methods adding to the modest efforts to make schools as representative of learners’ technological needs as possible. However, learners’ expectations of the learning environment and content go beyond teachers’ practices, as stated by Melouk “the majority of teachers… cling to a certain vision of their profession largely marked by a traditional view of education and teaching” (P.9). Drawing on the researcher’s and students’ reflection of a practical experience, this paper aims to highlight the merits of game based learning (GBL) as a framework for EFL and ESL teaching that motivates learners, responds to their interest, and promotes their learning process. The study comes under the tenets of experiential learning models; it follows, namely, the four stage-experiential learning cycle of Kolb & Fryer (1975). The experience takes part in a private school in Rabat with the participation of 32 first baccalaureate and second baccalaureate students. Accordingly, significant findings are displayed; firstly, as far as students’ reflection on their own learning is concerned, they attest that the learning environment is fun-motivating, attracts more their attention, facilitates their learning process and enhances grades. Secondly, the teacher’s reflection on the use of video game quizzes reveals that students become more interested in content and task based activities, and their language performance improves as well.

Keywords Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants; Video Game Based Learning