Promoting Learner Reflection Through a Card Game: An Exploratory Study

Promoting Learner Reflection Through a Card Game: An Exploratory Study

Promoting Learner Reflection Through a Card Game: An Exploratory Study

Sina Takada, Emily Marzin, Eduardo Castro

Abstract

"Over the last two decades, gamification has received increased attention in the language learning field (Braga & Racilan, 2020). It refers to the use of game elements in educational settings to foster learner motivation and engagement, encourage social interaction, allow self and peer evaluation, provide learning opportunities for a wide range of student profiles, and increase feelings of competence and discovery (Kapp, 2012; Kim et al., 2018). In language learning, gamification is often implemented to improve linguistic skills. However, little is known about how it can be used to foster reflective skills in the self-directed learning context. This publication sheds light on this matter by describing a card game designed to enhance reflection on learning strategies and resources for self-directed language learning. It also reports on students’ perceptions regarding playing the game and its potential impact on their learning process. The main purpose of the game is for students to select a learning strategy for hypothetical learning scenarios and justify their selections. Students' feedback on their perceptions of the game was gathered via a questionnaire afterwards. Findings suggest that the majority of the participants considered the game to be a useful means to learn new strategies. Additionally, some students engaged in a deeper level of reflection such as explaining their rationale for choosing the strategies and making connections to their real-life learning experiences."

Reference

Takada, S., Marzin, E., & Castro, E. (2023). Promoting learner reflection through a card game: An exploratory study. [JASAL Journal, 42]. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376990198_Promoting_Learner_Reflection_Through_a_Card_Game_An_Exploratory_Study_JASAL_Journal_42

Keywords

Gamification, Language Learning, Self-Directed Learning