The Efficacy of Online Gamification in Improving Basic English Skills for Fourth-Grade Students

Abstract

The study aimed to achieve three main objectives: 1) to develop an online gamification system using digital learning platforms for teaching English to Grade 4 students, following the E1/E2 = 80/80 efficiency criterion, 2) to compare students' achievement in Basic English through online gamification, and 3) to assess students' satisfaction with the use of online gamification in learning Basic English. The sample comprised 30 Grade 4 students from Settabutr Upathum School in the academic year 2022, selected through purposive random sampling. Research instruments included online Zoom classes, lesson plans, and interactive learning platforms. The study employed mean, standard deviation, and t-tests for dependent samples for data analysis. The results revealed an efficiency value of E1/E2 as 70.00/69.00, falling short of the 80/80 criteria. Several factors, such as the comprehensive nature of testing macro skills using digital media beyond cognitive abilities, may have contributed to not meeting the set criterion. Furthermore, a significant improvement in learning achievements in Basic English was observed among Grade 4 students who used online gamification compared to traditional methods, with higher scores in achievement tests at a significance level of 0.05. Finally, students expressed a good level of satisfaction with the online gamification approach in learning Basic English.