EFFECTS OF GAMIFICATION AND ILIAS ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS ON LEARNING OUTCOMES IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of gamification and ILIAS online learning platforms on learning outcomes in educational technology among university students in Nigeria. The study examined the impact of achievement, retention and motivation of students taught using gamification, ILIAS and conventional lecture method. A Quasi- Experimental Pre-test, Post-test, Non-equivalent Control Group Design was adopted for the study.  The sample for the study consisted of second year educational technology university students drawn from three Universities from three geo-political zones in Nigeria. A random sampling technique was adopted to select three universities offering educational technology. They were purposively assigned for the study as experimental group I, experimental group II and control group respectively. Ten research questions were raised and six hypothesis were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Three research instruments (Test instrument, treatment instruments and motivation inventory questionnaire) were developed, duly validated and reliability was established (0.93, 0.90 and 0.91 respectively) before using the instruments for data collection. Data collected were analysed using decision mean and standard deviation while Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that students exposed to  gamification  and  ILIAS  learning platforms  performed  better  than those students in the control group and also there was significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Educational Technology using gamification learning platform. HO1: (F = 460.109, P-value = .000) HO2: (358.160,.000) HO3: (4.551, 0.035) HO4: (0.428, 0.514) HO5: (4.913, 0.028) HO6: (.188, .665). The result also showed that majority of the students indicated high level of motivation towards the use of gamification and ILIAS learning platforms. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that Universities and other tertiary institutions should implement  the  use  of  gamification  and  ILIAS  learning  platforms  in  teaching  and learning process for the purpose of enhancing learning outcome.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Educational Technology has become an important part of modern education as it creates opportunities for learners to develop their cognitive, critical thinking, information reasoning and communication skills. It has played a vital role in the education system and have promoted the introduction of online learning platforms. Learning through the use of online learning  platforms  is a trending practice in the education world  and educational technology tools form the vehicle through which these platforms are being integrated into the classroom.   Educational technology can be seen as a process of solving educational problems and concerns, which might include motivation, discipline, drop-out rate, school violence, basic skills, and a whole lot of educational concerns (Osakwe, 2012).

Educational technology is a field of study that investigates the process of analysing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating the instructional environment and learning materials in order to improve teaching and learning (Delhin, 2012). It caters for individual‟s academic  needs  and  abilities  through  the  use  of  modern  instructional technology such as the internet, Learning Management System (LMS), online learning and where mobile technologies are used. It has the potential to enhance teaching and learning activities  and  create an  ideal  learning  environment.  Hence,  it  becomes  an integral part of both the teaching and learning process (Salleh & Iahad, 2011).

Educational technology at higher institutions of learning, especially in the universities and colleges of education is valued and its application requires knowledge from several areas  such  as  pedagogy,  psychology,  didactics,  computer  sciences  and  informatics.

Because of these different areas, educational technology is still not being applied adequately (Onasanya et al., 2012).  In spite of the prevalent use of a variety of efficient online learning platforms  which are learner-centred and  focus on  delivery of  great learning experiences at different periods to improve classroom teaching in Nigeria, the use of conventional teacher-centred method continued (Olutola & Olatoye, 2017). Ukpong (2012) stated that this conventional method of teaching are not logically sequenced to fit the ability of the learners, as teachers could not provide teacher-led practice to engage in reciprocal teaching such as online learning.

Online learning, briefly written as e-learning is an inclusive term that describes the use of modern technologies for teaching and learning such as computers, digital technology, networked digital devices, associated software and course ware. Hedge and Hayward (2004) defined it as an innovative approach for delivering electronically mediated, well- designed, learner-centred and interactive learning environments to anyone, anyplace, anytime   by  utilizing   the   internet   and   digital   technologies   in   connection   with instructional design principles. Online learning is becoming the conservative approach of teaching students in universities worldwide, changing the education systems which are now focusing on learning through new technological methods such as Integriertes Lern-, Informations- und Arbeitskooperations System (ILIAS) LMS, Moodle, mobile learning, flipped learning, massive online open courses (MOOC), gamification and so on. Access to instruction through online learning is flexible, ensures broad viability and availability  of  educational  content.  It  is  a  cost-effective  system  of  instruction  and learning materials can be accessed irrespective of time and space (Ahmed, 2012).

The use of online learning is not a new phenomenon in promoting education in some parts  of  the  world.  Presently,  some  institutions  in  Nigeria  are using it  to  promote distance  education  (DE)  and  lifelong  learning  (Eke,  2011).  However,  the  teaching model in Nigerian universities is inconsistent with the use of online technologies such as Integriertes Lern-, Informations- und Arbeitskooperations System (ILIAS) and gamification learning platforms, which can be used to enhance teaching and learning.

ILIAS is a German word for “Integrated Learning, Information and Work Cooperation System”.  It  is  an  open  source  web-based  learning  management  system  (LMS).  It supports learning content management and tools for collaboration, communication, evaluation and assessment. It was originally developed in 1998 at the University of Cologne, Germany and it is now being used by many large corporations, organizations and universities (ILIAS, 2015). ILIAS main objective is to provide a flexible environment for online learning. The integrated tools give opportunities that go far beyond the idea that education only consists of creation and completing of a particular course. It could easily be seen as a library, which houses various learning materials. They, in turn, can be made available for non-registered users, making the platform a free knowledge repository.

ILIAS goes far beyond the idea of learning being confined to courses online alone. It offers the possibility for teachers to teach course content as well as plugged in virtual classrooms and assess students‟ performance while students who missed a lecture are able to catch up using the recorded sessions. Also, when students live far apart or the number of students is low, an online lecture is a good alternative for the regular lecture. Students on the other hand will be able to learn course content at any available location, check their assessment scores, create and design learning materials (Hanson & Asante, 2014). Equally, the use of game elements in online learning may probably promote a successful learning process.

Gamification of learning is an educational approach that involves selecting elements of games and using them to create a game-like environment in a non-game context. It also involves utilizing a challenge or game to teach or support classroom concepts. These game elements include items such as points, leader boards, and badges. However, game elements also can include avatars, three-dimensional environments, feedback, ranks, levels, competition, communication systems, and time pressures (Hanus & Fox, 2015). A game offers students instant feedback, gives students who might otherwise have sat quietly in the background a chance to participate, and can place an emphasis on practice and  mastering  the  information.  One  of  the  major  benefit  of  gamification  in  the classroom is its versatility. Teachers can choose whether to make an individualistic game out of learning for the whole class to play at once, or a game played in small groups to encourage teamwork (Goehle, 2013). This change in direction may benefits students who are not motivated to engage with concepts through reading a textbook or memorizing course materials.

Gamification online learning platform is a technology-supported game that is intended to result in a desirable change in the player’s knowledge while gamification serve the primary purpose of being a game, and a secondary goal of teaching something (Goehle, 2013). Gamification learning platform helps to establish flow by taking student‟s out of their normal routine and presenting them with a series of tasks that are engaging enough to prevent students‟ minds from wandering. However, currently, there has not been much research to explore the influence of gamification in Nigerian universities. Given that it is still an emerging technology.

Gamification and ILIAS are both online learning platforms that are becoming the conventional approach of teaching students in universities, which provides greater variation in the learning experience and can supply greater adaptability to the learners needs (Weimer, 2013). They consist of tools for learning, authoring, information access and cooperative work, thus presenting an integrated environment for learning and teaching on the internet. Students can create groups to work through learning materials and communicate with each other. These platforms are available for all registered users, and the learner can repeat each lesson as many times as he or she wants. Mole (2011) added that online-learning platforms have a capacity to address the scarcity of teaching and research materials in the libraries of institutions of higher learning. It would allow students, lecturers and researchers to share their own research outputs with the global community and improve the provision of current e-books, e-journals and other library resources.

University is the highest level of education where the high level manpower, intellectual and future leaders are developed. It is a place where students come together to pursue knowledge and it promotes the development of intellectual capacities of individuals to understand and appreciate their environments (Ahmed, 2012). Universities therefore educate future leaders and develop the high-level technical capacities that underpin economic growth and development. University education is regarded as an instrument of social, political and economic development. The products of university education in any nation will determine the development of such nation. Therefore, university education contributes to national development through high level relevant manpower training in order to acquire both physical and intellectual skills which enable individual to be self-reliant and useful members of the society (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004).

However, research has  shown that presently, Nigerian Universities are still lacking behind in the use of online learning platforms such as gamification and ILIAS learning platforms as an educational technology tool (Baba, 2014). While there is a great deal of knowledge and information about how online platforms are being used in developed countries, there is not much information on how it is being used in Nigerian universities. According to Usman (2016), for Nigeria Government to be proud of quality educational development especially at the university level, it should be able to provide a viable, excellent and functional online learning driven education in order to improve learning outcomes among students.

Learning outcomes describe the knowledge or skills students should acquire by the end of a particular assignment, class, course or program and help students understand why that knowledge and those skills will be useful to them (Hubball & Burt, 2007). Learning outcomes  are  the  minimum  performances  that  must  be  achieved  to  successfully complete a course or programme. In this study, learning outcomes comprise academic achievement, retention and motivation which are part of the variables under study. Academic achievement according to Fakorede (2010) refers to knowledge and skills attained by a student in school subjects, designated by a score obtained in an achievement test. Accordingly, an achievement test is an instrument administered to an individual  to  elicit  certain  desires  and  expected  responses,  as  demanded  in  the instrument, performance on which the individual is assigned a score representing his/her achievement. Fakorede (2010) also noted that academic achievement is always denoted by a score, which represents the amount of learning acquired, knowledge gained or skills and competencies developed in the school subject.

Academic achievement, according to Anyagh and Okwu (2010) is hinged on several factors such as: teaching method, intelligence, background, organization, opportunity, motivation, instructional procedures, teaching aids, interest of the learner and other environmental variable. So, in societies like Nigeria where standardized test of different kinds exist, the academic achievement of students is represented by the individual‟s response to standardized achievement test, and the level of response given to such tests can help in determing success. For a student to achieve well in an examination, the ability to recall what was learnt is a necessary condition. Furthermore, one can only recall what is retained and retention which is the ability to remember things learned by individuals at later time is necessary for better achievement.

Retention takes place when learning is coded into memory, and appropriate coding of incoming information provides the index that may be consulted hence enabling retention to take place without an elaborate search in the memory lane (Russell & Lehman, 2008). McGee (2013) stated that anything that aids learning improves retention while things that lead to confusion or interference among learned materials decrease the speed of and efficiency of learning and accelerate forgetting. It can be asserted therefore that the poor or low achievement in educational technology by university students is due to poor retention ability (Fareo, 2012). Therefore, Using gamification and ILIAS learning platform to teach may help in solving learning problems in educational technology encountered  by university students  and  increasing  their  achievement,  retention  and motivation level.

Motivation is all those inner striving conditions described as wishes, desires, and urges to stimulate the interest of a person in an activity. Can (2014) opined that motivation is a state of empowerment having physiological, cognitive and affective dimensions of individuals energized for a certain goal. It is also the willingness to perform an action, increasing eagerness to work, directing efforts and directly affecting the performance of workers. It is an inner state that stimulates and triggers behaviour. Two main sources of motivation identified by Gambari et al. (2016) are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is described as the internal desires and willingness to perform a particular task such as interest, enjoyment and satisfaction while extrinsic motivation refers to external factors which move an individual to carry out activities, such factors include rewards, coercion, threat of punishment and so on. By applying gamification and ILIAS to the classroom, students may be motivated to learn in new ways or enjoy otherwise tedious tasks. Consequently, the effects of gender on learning, motivation and academic achievement was investigated by probing into learners’ engagement and learning in the process of using gamification and ILIAS LMS.

Gender refers to the condition of being male or female. That is a boy or girl, man or woman. Human beings all over the world are generally classified into two biological groups. Gender is one of the factors studied for its influence on learning outcomes. Studies have shown that different genders prefer different achievement goals which affects learning outcomes (Bassi & Camble, 2011; Ikolo & Okiyi, 2012; Kapp, 2012). Recent studies on gender differences in online learning are primarily focused on the comparison of learning methods, empirical studies, blended learning approach and so on. Few studies have analysed motivation, achievements and retention in relation to learning and engagement (Landers & Landers, 2014; Huotari & Hamari, 2016). It is worth noting that gender implications are missing in online learning systems research, including gamification and ILIAS, and remain an area that requires further research. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of gender on motivation, achievements  and  retention  among  educational  technology  university  students  in Nigeria.

1.2   Statement of the Research Problem

Research evidences have shown that gamification and ILIAS are currently being implemented by schools in the western world and are platforms that help to create more integrated approach for both lecturers and students. (Mese & Dursun, 2019).  However, there are few studies conducted on which gamification and ILIAS are used to motivate and   engage   educational   technology   students   in   Nigerian   universities,   and   the methodology currently employed is considered to be teacher-centred approach, which makes learners passive and the products of schools are rated low in creativity, critical thinking and problem solving, which eventually leads to poor academic performance of students (Fomsi & Ogo-chukwu, 2019).

These poor performances have been attributed to poor teaching strategies and some educational technology concepts are very difficult for teachers to teach as well as for students to learn using the conventional teaching method. Several teaching methods have been used to curb these situations, but there is an urgent need to improve the academic performance of Nigerian university students and also bridge the gap between developed and developing nations. Gamification and ILIAS learning platforms may be considered a necessary tool for this purpose. For this reason, this study will investigate the effects of gamification and ILIAS online learning platforms in educational technology among university students in Nigeria.

1.3   Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of gamification and ILIAS online learning platforms on learning outcomes in educational technology among university students in Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives of the study are to:

1.   Determine the effects of Gamification, ILIAS learning platforms and lecture method on   academic achievement of students‟ in Educational Technology.

2.   Determine the effects of Gamification, ILIAS learning platforms and lecture method on retention of students‟ in Educational Technology.

3.   Determine  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟ academic  achievement  in

Educational Technology when taught with Gamification learning platform.

4.   Determine  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟ academic  achievement  in

Educational Technology when taught with ILIAS learning platform.

5.    Determine  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟  retention  in  Educational

Technology when taught with Gamification learning platform.

6.   Determine  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟  retention  in  Educational

Technology when taught with ILIAS learning platform.

7.   Determine the effect of Gamification learning platform on students‟ motivation.

8.   Determine the effect of  ILIAS learning platform on students‟ motivation

9.   Determine  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟ motivation  in  Educational

Technology when taught with gamification learning platform.

10. Determine  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟ motivation  in  Educational

Technology when taught with ILIAS learning platform.

1.4   Research Questions

1    What   are  the  mean   achievement   scores   of   students   taught   Educational Technology using gamification and ILIAS learning platforms and lecture method?

2.   What are the mean retention scores of students taught Educational Technology using gamification and ILIAS learning platforms and lecture method?

3.   What is the influence of gender on the mean achievement scores of students taught Educational Technology using gamification learning platform?

4.   What is the influence of gender on the mean achievement scores of students taught Educational Technology using ILIAS learning platform?

5.    What is the influence of gender on the mean retention scores of students taught

Educational Technology using gamification learning platform?

6.   What is the influence of gender on the mean retention scores of students taught

Educational Technology using ILIAS learning platform?

7.   What is the motivation of Educational Technology students after exposure to gamification learning platform?

8.   What is the motivation of Educational Technology students after exposure to ILIAS learning platform?

9.   What  is  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟  motivation  in  Educational

Technology after exposure to gamification learning platform?

10. What  is  the  influence  of  gender  on  students‟  motivation  in  Educational

Technology after exposure to ILIAS learning platform?

1.5   Research Hypotheses

HO1: There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught Educational Technology using gamification and ILIAS learning platform and lecture method.

HO2: There is no significant difference in the mean retention scores of students taught Educational Technology using gamification and ILIAS learning platform and lecture method.

HO3: There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Educational Technology using gamification learning platform.

HO4: There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Educational Technology using ILIAS learning platform.

HO5: There is no significant difference in the mean retention scores of male and female students taught Educational Technology using gamification learning platform.

HO6: There is no significant difference in the mean retention scores of male and female students taught Educational Technology using ILIAS learning platform.

1.6   Significance of the Study

It is expected that at the completion of this study, the result generated from these study would be significant to students, teachers, educational policy formulators, educational media  entrepreneurs,  researchers,  curriculum  planners,  Non-Governmental organizations and the nation at large.

Findings  from  this  research  are  expected  to  have  positive  impact  on  students achievement and retention towards learning of educational technology in the sense that it will enable them have better understanding of some abstract concepts that will significantly improve their academic achievement. Students will also be availed with great opportunities for individualized, team building, student engagement, collaborative and interactive learning. This procedure may reduce the impression caused by abstractness of the content and boredom in the class. It will make learning easier, simpler and more interesting which could result in better mastery of the contents of the course.

It is hoped that the findings from this study will encourage and stimulate educational technology  instructor‟s innovativeness,  resourcefulness,  and  challenge  them  to  use gamification and ILIAS learning platform as a tool for effective teaching and learning. Educational technology teachers could benefit from this study, because it could provide some positive approach to the teaching of large classes and abstract concepts.

Educational policy makers may probably derive immense benefits from the findings of this study, because it will enable them possess the knowledge and disposition to develop instructional  strategies  that  may  encourage  the  development  of  critical  thinking, problem solving and performance skills among students.

The outcome of this study may also help educational media entrepreneurs take better decisions on investing in educational media and also organization of workshops for lecturers to make them more acquainted with online learning platforms. Curriculum planners will be able to introduce into the curricular practical methods of using online learning in the curriculum, this could foster student‟s readiness, interest and motivate them to utilize gamification and ILIAS in learning.

The findings from this research are expected to serve as a reference point to academics/researchers, by providing useful information upon which future research studies  in  the  area  where  online  learning  adoption  can  be  based.  It  may  provide empirical evidence in their quest for further research work on teaching and learning strategies.

Government and non-governmental organizations will be able to provide in-service training for educational technology lecturers through workshops, seminars and conferences where they will be taught how to incorporate online learning strategies in the classroom as a medium of instruction, as this will go a long way in assisting lecturers and government in man-power development.

1.7   Scope of the Study

The study investigated the effects of gamification and ILIAS online learning platforms on learning outcomes in educational technology among university students in Nigeria, which comprises of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Nigeria has 84 public  universities  and  7  out  of  the  84  are  offering  educational  technology  (see Appendix A), which is chosen because Educational Technology as a course is studied at degree level in public universities in Nigeria. Educational Technology is considered to be an important discipline in the field of education and the National Policy on Education made it clear that the contribution of Educational Technology is indispensable and very important (FRN, 2009). Three independent variables (Gamification, ILIAS LMS and lecture method), three dependent variables (Achievement, retention and motivation) and one  moderating  variable  (gender)  was  investigated  in  this  study.  Gamification  and ILIAS LMS was selected as two online learning platforms due to its popularity among educators as a tool for creating online learning for their students (Violante & Vezetti, 2017; Downes, 2017; Kpolovie & Lale, 2017). The study was restricted to 200 level Educational Technology students in public universities in Nigeria. This level of students was chosen because the concept of Graphic communication selected as a teaching unit is taught at this level. Graphic communication is selected because of its relevance to the major variables of the study and also it is a course that could be taught via online platforms. Five content units of graphic communication was taught. These units include: Meaning of visual, graphics, design and communication, tools and materials required in graphic studio, Types of graphics, colouring and colouring techniques, Lettering and lettering techniques. The data collection process lasted for twelve (12) weeks.

1.8   Operational Definition of Terms

Achievement:  A  standard  students  are  expected  to  meet  in  order  to  demonstrate adequate understanding of educational technology concepts tested, denoted by a score.

Educational technology: A process of solving educational problems and concern by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes such as gamification and ILIAS LMS.

Gamification: act of selecting elements of game and using them to create a game-like environment in educational technology.

ILIAS LMS: A web based LMS which consist of tools for learning, authoring, information access and co-operative work, thus presenting an integrated environment for learning and teaching of educational technology concept on the internet.

Motivation:  University  students‟  desire  to  pursue  a  goal  or  perform  a  task  in educational technology using Gamification and ILIAS online learning platforms.

Online learning platforms: an interactive online services that provides teachers and learners with information, tools and resources to support and enhance educational delivery and management.

Retention: ability to recall or recognize educational technology concepts which have been   studied   through   Gamification   and   ILIAS   online   learning   platforms   and conventional lecture method represented by a score.

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