Challenges and gender differences in implementing gamification approach among vocational college lecturers in Malaysia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol8iss2pp123-140Abstract
Background and Purpose: Gamification is an increasingly popular instructional strategy among educators, designed to enhance classroom learning by incorporating rewards to recognize achievements, thereby fostering a more engaging and enjoyable learning experience. With the growing adoption of online learning in Malaysian educational institutions, gamification is perceived as an interactive and effective teaching and learning method. However, research on the challenges faced by vocational instructors in implementing gamification remains limited. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to explore and analyze the challenges associated with the adoption of gamification in vocational education.
Methodology: This study employed a quantitative research method. The respondents included 55 vocational lecturers from various vocational colleges in Malaysia. A structured questionnaire was utilized to examine the challenges faced by lecturers in implementing gamification at their institutions. Four key constructs—support, access, competency, and applicability—were used to assess the nature and extent of these challenges. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean score and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test) to identify differences based on gender.
Findings: The findings of this study indicated that the majority of vocational lecturers have moderate challenges when implementing gamification approaches in their teaching and learning based on the findings related to the constructs. In addition, it was found that there were no significant gender differences in terms of the difficulties associated with implementing gamification approaches. This study also showed that most vocational lecturers have the potential to apply gamification in their teaching based on their high competencies with adequate support and enough access given to them.
Contributions: This study offers valuable insights for vocational educators and institutional policymakers in fostering the adoption of gamification in vocational education. By identifying key challenges and highlighting lecturers' competencies, the findings can inform strategies to enhance support, accessibility, and the overall effectiveness of gamification. This, in turn, can contribute to increased student motivation and engagement, ultimately improving learning outcomes in vocational education.
Keywords: Gamification, gender, challenges, approach, vocational.
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