Conference Agenda

In our rapidly changing world, technology has become an inescapable part of people’s lives. Unprecedented availability of cost-effective technology offers opportunities to innovate teaching practices to match widespread demand for young people to understand and use emerging technologies (Education Services Australia, 2019).

Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology that affords students access to tools and environments not available previously. Game-based learning (GBL) is the use of games to facilitate learning. Augmented reality game-based learning (ARGBL) experiences result from AR being implemented in learning environments in combination with GBL.

Despite the importance of AR as an emerging technology, and the opportunities that ARGBL offers for innovative practice in education, there has been limited research conducted into the emerging area of ARGBL. The research that has been conducted into ARGBL indicates that ARGBL offers opportunities to enrich learning experiences through increasing enjoyment, collaboration, knowledge and engagement (Pellas et al., 2019). Yu et al. (2022) conducted a systemic review of ARGBL research and highlighted the need for future studies to investigate the opportunity for learning in areas such as 21st-century skill development using ARGBL. The majority of research that has been conducted into ARGBL focuses on the students and their experiences but neglects the perspective and experience of the teacher.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced more rapid change upon the educational landscape than what might have occurred otherwise (OECD, 2020). There is demand for reimagining the way in which educational materials are delivered to students. The immersive and portable nature of ARGBL makes it an increasingly important area in education to be researched (Sepasgozar, 2020).

This study, through an online survey and semi-structured interviews with teachers, aims to investigate how ARGBL is currently being used in classrooms and for what purpose, and to identify what affordances and challenges exist when integrating ARGBL into classrooms to support learning. Emerging findings are providing insight into the current usage of ARGBL in classrooms. The results of this research aim to inform how curriculum design that incorporates ARGBL can enrich and optimise the learning experiences of students, whilst providing insight into the risks, limitations and considerations that need to be taken into account.

Research questions and sub-questions

The purpose of these research questions and sub-questions is to establish the nature of the current usage of ARGBL in classrooms and to investigate the affordances and challenges that exist for teachers when implementing ARGBL.

1. How is ARGBL being used in classrooms and for what purpose?

a. How do teachers conceptualise ARGBL?

b. Which learning areas and topics are utilising ARGBL?

c. In which demographics are the teachers that are using ARGBL?

2. What affordances and challenges exist for teachers when implementing ARGBL?

a. Why do teacher choose to use/not use ARGBL?

b. How is ARGBL planned for and implemented within and across classes?

c. What is essential for the integration of ARGBL into classrooms?

Theoretical framework

The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework attempts to model the complex nature of the knowledge required by teachers, specifically regarding the integration of technology into teaching (Mishra, 2019). The four key knowledge areas are: (1) Pedagogical knowledge, (2) Content knowledge, (3) Technological knowledge and (4) Contextual knowledge.

This research considers whether the knowledge required by a teacher, when incorporating ARGBL into their teaching, can be categorised into the main knowledge areas that the TPACK framework identifies and, if so, whether this provides a model for assisting with the development of knowledge that teachers require in order to integrate ARGBL effectively into their curriculum planning and implementation.

During the past two decades, computational thinking (CT) has gained renewed international interest with many countries taking policy initiatives to integrate it in their general education curricula (Bocconi et al., 2022). CT is broadly conceptualised as a problem-solving approach which draws on the concepts fundamental to computer science (Wing, 2006). In order to ensure successful integration of CT, teachers with necessary CT competence are a vital factor. However, there is empirical evidence pointing out that teachers struggle to understand what CT is and how to integrate it into teaching (Kravik et al., 2022; Nordby et al., 2022). Thus, teacher education becomes a crucial point for producing a sustainable pipeline of teachers equipped with the required CT skills (Yadav et al., 2017). Research suggests that preservice teachers should not only gain CT content knowledge but also pedagogical content knowledge to successfully teach CT (Ottenbreit-Leftwich et al., 2022). In line with this argument scholars suggest that CT needs to be integrated not only into educational psychology courses but also into methods courses for preservice teachers to gain both content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (Yadav et al., 2017). CT integration into subject /methods courses at preservice teacher education is an underexplored area where there is a need for more knowledge and would thus be the focus of this study.

Previous research in CT integration into teacher education comprises research reporting interventions aiming to integrate CT in both education technology courses (Yadav et al., 2017), educational technology methods courses (e.g. Umutlu, 2021), and science methods courses (Jaipal-Jamani & Angeli, 2017; Adler & Kim, 2018) and mathematics methods courses (Gadanidis et al., 2017). Programming, particularly block-based programming appears to be the most popular vehicle for developing CT skills among preservice teachers (Umutlu, 2021). Instructional strategies employing robotics (Jaipal-Jamani & Angeli, 2017) and modelling (Adler & Kim, 2018) are also utilized to promote CT skills in preservice teachers. Although there exist some studies that report the efficacy of interventions on CT integration into subject courses, there is a lack of studies demonstrating how CT is actually implemented in subject courses in teacher education. Our study aims to investigate how CT is implemented in mathematics and science courses at preservice education by drawing on data from interviews conducted with teacher educators. The findings will be important particularly to teacher educators and researchers in and beyond the European context.

The context of the study is Norway where a new primary and secondary school curriculum has been implemented, through which CT is integrated into several existing subjects including mathematics and science primarily through the integration of programming into these subjects (Ministry of Education and Research, 2019). Since CT is integrated into existing subjects in the school curriculum, teacher education should also prepare prospective teachers to teach accordingly. Our focus of the study is mathematics and science. By integrating CT into mathematics and science, content learning can be facilitated simultaneously providing meaningful contexts to apply CT (Weintrop et al., 2016). The following research question will guide our research:

How is computational thinking integrated into existing mathematics and science preservice teacher education courses?

Theoretical framework:

There are multiple definitions and frameworks for CT (Wing, 2006; Weintrop et al., 2016; Brennan & Rensnick, 2012) and there is no consensus on a basic definition. Since this study focuses on mathematics and science, we chose the CT in mathematics and science taxonomy developed by Weintrop et al. (2016). In this taxonomy, there are four major categories – data practices, modelling and simulation practices, computational problem-solving practices, systems thinking practices – each of which is composed of five to seven practices.

As developments in the digital gaming industry increased (Takahashi, 2015), the use of digital games in education has also increased. Studies on digital gaming in language learning have explored both game-enhanced learning (commercial, off-the-shelf games) and game-based learning (digital games created for the teaching and learning of languages) to support language learning in different areas (Sykes, 2018). Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) games are “designed purely for fun and entertainment rather than for learning” (Whitton, 2010, p. 199). Foreign language learners play digital games in the target foreign language out of class. Sykes and Reinhardt (2013) highlight the contributions of digital gaming in L2 learning as five features such as learner directed goal, interaction with the game, individualized feedback, relevant context, and motivation. Moreover, research has shown that digital games can be beneficial in terms of autonomy (Chick, 2014), intercultural learning (Thorne, 2008), providing authentic texts (Reinhardt, 2013), rich learning environment (Reinders, 2012), listening and reading language skills (Chen & Yang, 2013), and having fun while learning a language (Ballou, 2009; Chin-Sheng & Chiou, 2007). Additionally, exposure to the target language provides language skills such as grammar and vocabulary in a real context (Purushotma, 2005).

L2 identity can be considered as the learners’ relationship with the culture of the target language, and the engagement with the culture and the natives of the culture. Thus, the close connection with the target language and the culture are associated with the L2 identity which is dynamic and multifaceted, language both constructs it and is constructed by it (Norton, 2006). Dörnyei and Ushioda (2009) proposed that L2 Motivational Self System which is an L2 motivational self-system takes the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, and the L2 learning experiences in foreign language learning and teaching. The concept ideal self is the representation of characteristics that one would most like to have like one’s personal wishes. The ought-to self, a complimentary self-guide, is the representation of characteristics that one feels one ought to have like one’s sense of responsibilities and obligations. So, the rationale behind the hypothesis is that the learners will be more motivated to learn the target language if they get the idea that their ideal self and ought-to self to be L2 proficient in order to reduce the gap between current and future selves.

The relationship between identity formation and COTS games has received increasing attention (Barab et al., 2012; DeVane, 2014; Godwin-Jones, 2019; Jeon, 2014; Punyalert, 2017; Shaffer, 2006; Musaoğlu Aydın & Akkuş Çakır, 2022). Online experiences such as gameplay including language socialization produce complex and context-based language practices (Thorne, 2008). COTS games can afford opportunities to develop L2 identities for foreign language learners, as they provide language learners with opportunities to interact with others and to immerse themselves in a real-life context, the target language, and the culture (Godwin- Jones, 2019; Jeon, 2014; Musaoğlu Aydın & Akkuş Çakır, 2022).

While game-enhanced language learning is becoming popular in foreign language teaching, more research is still needed on investigating the role of COTS gaming in L2 identity formation to understand the learning potential of L2 gaming better. It is essential to explore the ways COTS games could be used to promote L2 identity. Thus, this study aims to investigate the role of game-enhanced language learning in the development of L2 identity. More specifically the research question is;

-How do gamer language learners’ construct their L2 identities during COTS gameplay?