Teacher perceptions on the use of digital gamified learning in tourism education: The case of South African secondary schools

Abstract

With the global diffusion of digital gaming, there is an increasing call to establish to what extent games and their elements could be harnessed for learning and education. Most research in this field has been conducted in more economically advanced and developed regions, and there is a paucity of research in emerging country contexts. It is argued that gamification can be effectively utilised in these contexts to address learner engagement and motivation. The study investigated the extent to which six determined predictors (perceptions about playfulness, curriculum fit, learning opportunities, challenge, self-efficacy and computer anxiety) influence the advocacy to accept a gamified application by South African tourism teachers. Tourism education was selected for empirical study because of its popularity in developing countries and where the economy heavily depends on the sector. However, it is a highly under researched area. Data was obtained from 209 tourism teachers, and was tested against the research model using a structural equation modelling approach. Findings reveal that the constructs of perceived playfulness, curriculum fit have a positive, direct impact on the construct of behavioural intention. The exogenous constructs of challenge, learning opportunities, self-efficacy and computer anxiety have an indirect effect on behavioural intention via perceived playfulness or curriculum fit. The study may prove useful to educators and practitioners in understanding which determinants may influence the introduction of gamification into formal secondary education.