Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes

2024, Vol. 14, No. 1 e-ISSN: 1390-8146

Published by: Universidad Técnica Luis Vargas Torres

How to cite this article (APA):

Maridueña, M., Fernández, M. (2024) Mobile-assisted

language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the COVID-

19 pandemic, Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes, 14(1) 33-45

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual

Reality techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic

El aprendizaje de idioma asistido por dispositivos móviles mediante técnicas de

Gamificación y Realidad virtual durante la pandemia del COVID-19

Milton Rafael Maridueña Arroyave

PhD.

Universidad de Guayaquil, Instituto Tecnológico Superior “Espíritu Santo”,

mrmariduena@tes.edu.ec milton.mariduenaa@ug.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8876-1896

Martha María Fernández Rodríguez

PhD. Instituto Tecnológico Superior “Espíritu Santo”, mmfernandez@tes.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0000-

0002-4765-7419

During the global pandemic in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and the

accelerated transition to online education, teachers questioned the

integration of educational technology in the training of technology

scholars and its impact on the learning process. The main objectives

of this study were to understand the contextual perception of the

scholars on the use of technologies such as Mobile Device Assisted

Language Learning, Gamification and Virtual Reality in teaching

English to higher technology students during the COVID-19

pandemic in Guayaquil. In addition, we sought to identify which of

these technologies teachers preferred to use to teach English. This

study followed a quantitative approach and used an adapted online

questionnaire. The results of the reliability test showed high

consistency with a value of 0.866 according to Cronbach's Alpha

statistic.

Keywords:

mobile apps, medication, elderly, biomedical technology

Abstract

Received 2023-09-09

Revised 2023-11-17

Published 2024-01-05

Corresponding Author

Milton Maridueña Arroyave

mrmariduena@tes.edu.ec

Pages: 33-45

https://creativecommons.org/lice

nses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Distributed under

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

Resumen

En medio de la pandemia mundial en Guayaquil, Ecuador, y la

transición acelerada hacia la educación en línea, los profesores se

cuestionaron sobre la integración de la tecnología educativa en la

formación de becarios de tecnología y su impacto en el proceso de

aprendizaje. Los objetivos principales de este estudio eran

comprender la percepción contextual de los becarios sobre el uso de

tecnologías como el Aprendizaje de Idiomas Asistido por Dispositivos

Móviles, la Gamificación y la Realidad Virtual en la enseñanza del

inglés a estudiantes de tecnología superior durante la pandemia de

COVID-19 en Guayaquil. Además, se buscaba identificar cuál de estas

tecnologías preferían los profesores para enseñar inglés. Este estudio

siguió un enfoque cuantitativo y utilizó un cuestionario en línea

adaptado. Los resultados de la prueba de fiabilidad mostraron una

alta consistencia con un valor de 0.866 según la estadística Alfa de

Cronbach.

Palabras clave:

Aplicaciones móviles, medicación, ancianos,

tecnología biomédica

Introduction

Coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, has been identified as a deadly

infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome, as

well as some types of the common cold. Due to its rapid spread and

the numerous deaths it has caused, a worldwide pandemic

emergency has been declared. As a result of this outbreak, the first

Movement Control Order (MCO) was issued, which involved an

Ecuadorian-wide containment.

This has had an impact on the education sector, as throughout the

pandemic crisis, schools had to close temporarily. As a result, the

Ecuadorian Ministry of Education opted for online education or e-

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

learning through technology or devices to facilitate communication

instead of face-to-face classroom learning.

In 1981, the Ministry of Education of Ecuador offered a course called

Instructional Systems Technology for the in-service teacher training

program in order to improve the educational system by focusing on

the teaching and learning process. Since then, many researchers have

conducted studies on the implementation of 21st century

technologies such as Virtual Reality, Gamification and Mobile Assisted

Language Learning (MALL) applications to develop and improve

students' English language learning.

In addition, online games have influenced the lifestyles of children,

teenagers and even adults around the world. Researchers believe that

the application of gamification in education would not only motivate

students, but also increase their focus on learning and their higher-

level thinking skills.

According to many researchers regarding the use of mobile

applications in language learning, this approach could also be

defined as constructive learning. For example, study results show that

the use of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in the

classroom benefits students by motivating their attitude towards

learning and enhancing their learning experience.

The concept of Virtual Reality dates back to the mid-1960s, allowing

the user to perceive the virtual world as if it were real and to act

realistically in it. Hundreds of researchers have explored the effects

and applications of this technology over the past 20 years. According

to Singhal, Bagga, Goyal, and Saxena (2012), Virtual Reality

technology has attracted public attention because it allows users to

interact with real and virtual objects, providing experiential learning

and increasing user attention and motivation at the same time.

There is evidence showing that Virtual Reality application has been

adapted in various educational sectors, such as early childhood

education and elementary schools, to teach English language in other

countries. It was shown that exposure to Virtual Reality applications

helped to improve students' motivation and their more positive

attitudes towards English language learning.

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

However, when teaching with technology, there are advantages and

disadvantages. Although it improves students' motivation to learn,

teachers must also consider that students may be distracted by the

content and not grasp the main ideas of the context. In addition,

despite the advancement of technology, there are still students who

do not own high-tech devices.

Virtual Reality could be considered a unique method for teaching

English to students, but it could also pose problems. For example, it

could be expensive for some students who cannot afford it. In

addition, understanding the technology, such as digital innovations,

could be a problem for both teachers and students. Lack of learning

content was the main argument among teachers, as Virtual Reality was

designed mainly for entertainment purposes. It is considered a

challenge for teachers to acquire technical skills when incorporating

this into pedagogical planning. Therefore, cognitive overload when

using Virtual Reality applications can be considered a challenge for an

effective learning environment.

According to Becta (2004), the inaccessibility of ICT resources was

due not only to the unavailability of hardware and software or other

ICT materials, but also to several factors, such as poor organization of

resources, poor quality hardware, or inadequate software. Teachers

also need to provide multiple instructions for many different devices,

as each student may possess different types of ICT resources.

Methodology

A proposed sample was used for this study and the target population

consisted of a total of 63 participants. The distribution of this

questionnaire was done through social networking platforms.

Participants were provided with a set of questionnaires through an

online Google Forms link and all responses were collected

anonymously.

The questionnaire was designed based on a five-point Likert scale

ranging from 1 - Strongly Disagree, 2 - Disagree, 3 - Neutral, 4 - Agree

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

and 5 - Strongly Agree. In total, the questionnaire consisted of 5

sections with a total of 21 questions. The first section of the

questionnaire included personal information of the participants, such

as age, gender and knowledge of the three technologies. The second,

third, and fourth sections were based on the grantees' perceptions of

each of the technologies that would be used to teach English

language during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. While the last

section focused on their preference on which of these technologies

(Mobile Device Assisted Language Learning, Gamification, and Virtual

Reality) they would choose to teach high school students.

The questionnaire was pilot tested with the first 20 responses from a

total of 63 grantees. The pilot test data were analyzed using SPSS to

assess the validity and reliability of each item. Each item was

calculated using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient in SPSS 23. For the

items tested, a value of 0.866 was obtained, as shown in Table 1,

leading to the conclusion that 86% internal consistency was obtained

overall for the 19 items.

Table 1.

Reliability Statistics

Source: Authors' own elaboration

The results indicated that the pilot test value exceeded 70%.

Therefore, it was considered absolutely justified that the items had a

high reliability for further collection and analysis. Consequently, the

data were considered reliable for analysis.

Results

These findings cover the survey participants' responses to each

question and their justifications at the end. The question on gender

was not asked or included in the first part of the questionnaire

because there were more female than male participants. Therefore,

no gender-related questions were included in the questionnaire.

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

This section also shows the descriptive statistics of the frequency of

each item presented categorically. The first part presents the

quantitative analysis of the data that will answer the first research

question, (i) What is the perception of the scholars of technology

careers about the strategies of Mobile Device Assisted Language

Learning, Gamification and Virtual Reality, for English learners, during

the COVID-19 pandemic in three University Higher Technological

Institutes of the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador?

The second part presents the percentages that answer the second

research question Which ICTs (Mobile Assisted Language Learning,

Gamification and Virtual Reality) are the most preferred by scholars to

improve English language learning in students in technology careers?

Table 2.

Age groups

Note: Table 2 presents the total division of participants according to

their age groups. The table shows that most of the participants were

22 years of age.

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

Table 3.

Teachers' knowledge and experience regarding the three

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Tools.

Note: Table 3 shows the statistical frequencies associated with

participants' responses to each question. With a total of 63 responses

collected overall, the majority of respondents had experience using

both technologies (Gamification and Mobile Device Assisted

Language Learning) for language learning during the pandemic

outbreak in Ecuador, and acknowledged the existence of Virtual

Reality (VR).

Research Question 1: What is the perception of the scholarship

holders of the University Higher Technological Institutes on the

application of the Technologies that support Language Learning

Assisted by Mobile Devices, Gamification and Virtual Reality) in the

learning of the English language during the COVID-19 pandemic in

Guayaquil, Ecuador?

In the second part of this questionnaire, respondents were asked to

answer each question using a 5-point Likert scale, where 1 equals

"Strongly Disagree", 2 equals "Disagree", 3 equals "Neutral", 4

equals "Agree" and 5 equals "Strongly Agree".

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

Table 4

. Total Frequencies per Question

Note: Table 4 showed significant agreement. With a total of 63

respondents, most of the participants showed a positive attitude

towards the application of these three information and

communication technologies (ICT) (Gamification, Mobile Assisted

Language Learning and Virtual Reality) to teach the target language

to students through a virtual classroom in Higher Technological

University Institutes in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Research Question 2: Which of the Information and Communication

Technologies (ICT) (Mobile Assisted Language Learning, Gamification

and Virtual Reality) would be the most preferred by scholarship

students of technology careers in Guayaquil, Ecuador; to improve

English language learning?

This section presents the results in terms of statistical frequency and

percentage for the second closed research question.

The results suggested that the scholars believed in the importance of

gamification to be adapted in the English language learning process

among the scholars' students in technology majors during the COVID-

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

19 pandemic in Guayaquil, as it could create a fun and enjoyable

environment for students to learn. "The fact that young students

prefer to use computer games to acquire new information should be

expected." - Prensky (2001)

Therefore, the ditectives of these institutes agreed that future

teachers should be trained in game-based learning methodology in

advance to prepare for the virtual classroom and to be able to interact

with students.

In addition, they rated all items positively, as they understood that

Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) had a high potential to

contribute to effective second language acquisition for high school

students. As a recent development in mobile technology, "It was

becoming a practical trend in technology-enhanced language

learning, where teacher and student can learn and teach digitally

anywhere and anytime." - Şad & Göktaş (2013)

Language learning is beneficial if managed systematically through

mobile applications when teaching the language.

"Virtual Reality can not only change the way students learn, but also

expose them to a simulated version of reality that can be manipulated

to meet students' learning needs." - Yahaya (2007)

The data suggest that teachers viewed Virtual Reality (VR) technology

as a fun and challenging way to engage students in the language

learning process through a virtual classroom. As enjoyable and

productive as it is, it could also present a more life-like learning

environment for students. In this way, it fosters a sense of participation

among students.

Comparison of findings with previous studies

A number of recent studies have indicated that the use of gamification

in second language learning has brought significant benefits not only

in terms of improving learners' language learning process, but also in

terms of motivation.

"Gamification can give more exposure to learning to students during

as it adds fun to educational learning" (S1).

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

The findings of this study are consistent with one of the related

literature reviews, Nataliia V. Iaremenko (2017), which stated that:

"The application of gaming elements in education makes it more

relaxed, fun and comfortable for students to learn."

This can be accepted to meet the needs of the new generation, where

the key to a successful integration of technology in language teaching

would be the efficient use of digital tools to enhance student

engagement in a task-appropriate manner.

An additional novel finding was that mobile learning applications have

been increasingly used by teachers to interact with students in

language learning since the beginning of the Technology career

curriculum. Several pieces of evidence have suggested that Mobile

Assisted Language Learning (MALL) provides students with potential

benefits in second language learning, creating a more effective

learning-teaching process through the virtual classroom environment.

In line with a previous study by Ornprapat Suwantarathip and Wiwat

Orawiwatnakul (2015), cell phones can create an enjoyable learning

environment and have a positive effect on learning.

"Students do better in a positive learning environment during this

pandemic outbreak period when they can connect virtually with their

peers. Mobile learning can help improve social integration among

students with different learning needs and styles" (S2).

The results of Virtual Reality (VR) in the data findings agreed with

previous studies by researchers that the application of virtual reality in

language learning had immense potential through immersive and

exploratory learning for learners. In addition to helping learners grasp

the main idea of the learning topics, it also enabled them to process

new knowledge.

"VR visualizations can be experienced in any language" (S3).

For his part, Liang-Yi Chung (2012) stated that:

"The unique virtual environment of this application provides real

active learning and interaction that allows students to actively

participate in the virtual world."

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

Conclusions

The real purpose of this study was to determine which of the

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) (Mobile Assisted

Language Learning, Gamification and Virtual Reality) would be the

most preferred by teachers to teach and improve a target language

to students of technological careers in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Given the

consequences of the pandemic, this greatly affected educational

systems, especially teachers. Disadvantaged students would face

difficulties in accessing educational resources outside of schools

(UNESCO, 2020). This led teachers to adapt their daily work by

planning and conducting lessons virtually.

Yet, learning from the comfort of their homes provides students with

a sense of purpose during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. It

creates a positive environment, experience, and opportunity to

establish the target language. Therefore, teachers will need support

and training to integrate technology into English language instruction

for technology career students. With the successful integration of

these ICT tools, students will have the opportunity and opportunity to

effectively and meaningfully improve their language.

In addition, this work provides new ideas and a better understanding

of how these ICT (Mobile Assisted Language Learning, Gamification

and Virtual Reality) should be used to improve students' language

learning skills, especially in developing their creativity and increasing

their engagement in the study of the target language. In summary,

the results showed positive attitudes of teachers in increasing

students' motivation to effectively learn English language during the

COVID-19 pandemic in Guayaquil.

Reference

Ahmadi, D. (2018). The Use of Technology in English Language

Learning: A Literature Review. International Journal of Research

in English Education, 3(2), 115-125.

Arikan, A. (2011). Effectiveness of using games in teaching grammar

to young learners.

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

Azar, A. S., & Nasiri, H. (2014). Learners' attitudes toward the

effectiveness of mobile assisted language learning (MALL) in L2

listening comprehension. Procedia-Social and Behavioral

Sciences, 98, 1836-1843.

Dolgunsöz, E., Yıldırım, G., & Yıldırım, S. (2018). The effect of virtual

reality on EFL writing performance.

(n.d.). Enhancing english language learners' motivation through

online games.

Gozcu, E., & Caganaga, C. (2016). The importance of using games in

EFL classrooms.

Hashim, H. (2018, 5 17). Application of Technology in the Digital Era

Education. International Journal of Research in Counseling and

Education, 1(2), 1.

Hashim, H., Md. Yunus, M., Amin Embi, M., & Mohamed Ozir, N.

(2017, 3 29). Mobile-assisted Language Learning (MALL) for ESL

Learners: A Review of Affordances and Constraints. Sains

Humanika, 9(1-5).

Kassim, H. (2018). Students' perception in using virtual reality device

in english classroom.

Rafail Prodani, Silvja Çobani, Jozef Bushati, and Aigars Andersons

(2020). An Assessment of the Factors that Influence the Use of

Digital Technologies in Teaching: A case study. Universal

Journal of Educational Research 8(4), 1453-1460.

Vasileiadou, I., & Makrina, Z. (2017, 11 7). Using Online Computer

Games in the ELT Classroom: A Case Study. English Language

Teaching, 10(12), 134.

Wan Azli, W., Shah, P., & Mohamad, M. (2018). Perception on the

Usage of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in English

as a Second Language (ESL) Learning among Vocational

College Students. Creative Education, 09(01), 84-98.

Mobile-assisted language learning using Gamification and Virtual Reality techniques during the

COVID-19 pandemic

Revista Científica Interdisciplinaria Investigación y Saberes , / 2024/ , Vol. 14, No. 1

Wang, B.-T. (2017). Designing Mobile Apps for English Vocabulary

Learning. International Journal of Information and Education

Technology, 7(4), 279-283.

Wichadee, S., & Pattanapichet, F. (n.d.). Enhancement of performance

and motivation through application of digital games in an

english language class.