A Contributory Study into the (Non)Effect of Augmented Reality Game-Mediated Learning on Students’ Comprehension and Performance in English for Nursing Purposes

Document Type : مقالات علمی پژوهشی

Authors
S. khazaie 1
A. Derakhshan 2
M. Kianpour 3
1 Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran
3 Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.29252/LRR.13.4.6
Abstract
Simulation in the new generations of games has paved the way for employing flipped classes. Given the significance of learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP), this complementarity study with a full-factorial design using Augmented Reality- (AR)-mediated English for Nursing Purposes (ENP) classrooms was administered in the fall semester of the academic years 2019-2020. This way, 240 (from among 249) male (n=89) and female (n=151) students from Medical University of Isfahan were selected and randomly divided into Commercially-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) sets with interdisciplinary and disciplinary circles to learn ENP listening and reading comprehension in homogeneous and heterogeneous make-up. The data were collected through a questionnaire, continuous assessment, journaling, real-world assessment, and an interview. The gathered data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially through repeated measures ANOVA, which, in turn revealed that AR-mediated ENP Learning (AAEL) led into students' comprehension and outperformance in both instructional-learning and professional contexts. Along these lines, practicing ENP reading and listening via self-made AR-assisted activities in interdisciplinary circles with heterogeneous make-up facilitated students’ progress and performance. Accordingly, it can be argued that educational stakeholders have been inspired by and shaped the EdTech-assisted scenarios. The findings can be tapped into for developing new language curricula in higher education.



1. Introduction

With the extensive use of mobile technology in higher education studies, namely mobile learning or m-learning, diversified language learning applications (apps) based on m-learning are emerging in the instructional-learning settings. Among these new apps, the belonging together of the various sights of the augmented reality games through simulation allows the students to move toward understanding of the world. The main goal of this complementarity study with self-explanatory sequential mixed-methods was to explore the practicality of augmented reality game-mediated modules for supporting and easing the learning process of English receptive skills in medical higher education. In addition, this study explored the perceived learning outcomes of augmented reality game-mediated modules in English for nursing purposes classrooms of medical universities.

Research Question(s)

The main research question of this study can be formulated as follows:

To what extent do the augmented reality game-mediated tasks facilitate students’ English for nursing purposes skills learning?



2. Literature Review

The theoretical framework of this study follows the cognitive load theory for game-mediated learning (Taşçı & Titrek, 2020) that underlines the interactivity of practice for learning through the simulated chapters of the new generations of games.



3. Methodology

The participants were selected from among the male (N = 89) and female (N = 151) students (N = 240) through random sampling using the design of experiments. They were students of nursing, operating room, and midwifery who took the obligatory two-credit courses of English for nursing purposes in the academic years 2020-2021 at the Isfahan University of medical sciences. To assess the participants’ English proficiency levels, they took part in a test of Ministry Health Language Examination (MHLE). In this way, they were randomly divided into two groups of ready-made and self-generated augmented reality games to practice and learn the reading and listening skills of English for nursing purposes in the disciplinary and interdisciplinary bands. While in the disciplinary bands the participants from the same academic discipline practiced the content materials, in the interdisciplinary bands the participants from different academic disciplines practiced the materials. In so doing, initially, the participants’ attitudes towards mobile-game-based learning was solocited.18 online instruction sessions were carried out through Adobe Connect. Meanwhile, the participants’ reading and listening skills were assessed continuously from 0-20 scores. In tandem, the researchers wrote the journals during the course. Six weeks after the very final sessions of the course, the participants’ professional receptive skills were assessed in the healthcare fields. Finally, to solicit the participants’ views regarding learning English for nursing purposes skills through the medium of the augmented reality game-mediated tasks in the disciplinary and interdisciplinary bands, an interview session was conducted. The gathered data from the assessment of the participants during the course were analyzed through the mixed effect models. The researchers’ journals and the participants’ responses to the interview questions were conventionally content analyzed through MAXQDA 2020.



4. Results

The results revealed that augmented reality game-mediated English for nursing purposes learning led into students’ comprehension and outperformance in both instructional-learning and professional settings. The analysis of qualitative data indicated that the participants applied different strategies during the study. Most frequently cited were cognitive and support strategies with addressing the (academic and professional) need (e.g., adopting proactive role, vicarious learning).

Practicing English for nursing purposes reading and listening skills via self-generated augmented reality game-mediated tasks in interdisciplinary bands facilitated students’ progress and performance. Accordingly, it can be argued that educational stakeholders have been inspired by and shaped the educational technology-mediated scenarios. The findings can be tapped into for developing new language curricula in medical higher education.

Another important finding was that easy addressing the needs was linked to the facilitative effects of peers' supports. Helping each other to address the comprehension needs, and particularly patients' needs, may therefore be beneficial. Fostering a supportive social and psychological instructional-learning context was perceived by students as important for facilitating comprehension.

Keywords

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Language Related Research
Volume 13, Issue 4 - Serial Number 70
September and October 2022
Pages 185-219