Effects of Collaborative Digital Gameplay on Students’ Three Dimensions of Engagement in Mathematics

Abstract

This study attempts to provide an in-depth understanding of the influence of collaborative digital gameplay on students’ behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement in mathematics. This mixed-method study used pre- (N = 45) and post-test (N = 43) engagement surveys and photo-elicitation interviews (N = 6) to investigate how a six-day experiment involving collaborative digital gameplay on Wuzzit Trouble affects students’ engagement in mathematics. The quantitative results showed collaborative digital gameplay did not elicit a significant increase in students’ engagement in mathematics from pre-test to post-test. Moreover, the qualitative results of analyzing the measurement of three-dimensional engagement showed four factors – learning achievement, teacher support, peer collaboration and task characteristics – were associated with students’ engagement in a collaborative digital gameplay classroom. The findings suggest the classroom context plays an important role in three-dimensional engagement, which efficiently improve students’ conceptual understanding and arithmetic skills.