What Do Students Think of Mobile Chemistry Games?: Implications for Developing Mobile Learning Games in Chemistry Education

Introduction

Chemistry is widely recognized as a prominent field of science. This scientific discipline is pivotal in understanding various disciplines such as biology, physics, engineering, and medicine. Its foundational principles lay the groundwork for advancements in these diverse fields of study. Given the considerable impact of the chemistry workforce on the contemporary global economy (Cambridge Econometrics, 2020), ensuring a steady supply of chemistry graduates is imperative. However, students’ interest in chemistry education (CE) has been observed to deteriorate over the past decades (Abulude, 2009; Akram et al., 2017). Factors such as lack of exposure to practical experiences, limited awareness of career opportunities, extensive syllabus coverage, and ineffective teaching methods have been identified as contributors to this decline (Ringer McDonald, 2021; Woldeamanuel et al., 2013). According to Yunus and Ali (2012), students tend to develop a negative attitude when they lack interest in the subject. This negativity subsequently affects their engagement in related activities (Lipnevich et al., 2016). Unfortunately, Hassan et al. (2015) found that students with a negative attitude often experience lower academic performance when compared to those with a positive attitude. The abstract nature of many chemistry concepts (e.g., atomic and molecular structures) exacerbates this problem as it presents challenges for students in observing real-life phenomena (Ahmad et al., 2023). The conventional approach of teaching chemistry as a collection of isolated facts, without relating it to students' everyday experiences, further impedes their ability to grasp its relevance (van Dinther et al., 2023).

To address these challenges, numerous interventions have been implemented and evaluated in CE. Some examples include adaptive learning technology (Fautch, 2019), intelligent tutoring system (Theis, 2020), case-based learning instruction (Dewi et al., 2022), cooperative learning pedagogy (David Agwu & Nmadu, 2023), flipped learning approach (Brady & Voronova, 2023), virtual simulation experiments (Hou et al., 2023), and educational games (Roy et al., 2023). CE utilizes these teaching methods to accomplish various academic goals, which include offering hands-on experiences, cultivating awareness of career prospects, nurturing positive attitudes and involvement, and establishing a connection between the subject matter and students' daily lives. As emphasized in a systematic review (Byusa et al., 2022), game-based learning is one of the highly beneficial instructional approaches that foster students' conceptual comprehension of chemistry. Furthermore, it enhances their motivation to engage in the learning process while deriving enjoyment from making sense of the acquired knowledge (Li & He, 2023). Over the past few years, there has been a notable increase in interest towards the digitization of game-based learning as an effective method to enhance CE (e.g., Chee & Tan, 2012; Hermanns & Keller, 2022; Roy et al., 2023; Winter et al., 2016). Referred to as digital game-based learning (DGBL), it involves incorporating educational content and objectives within video games or game-like environments to actively engage students in the learning process. Many studies have shown the positive impact of DGBL across various academic disciplines (e.g., Fernando et al., 2019; Garcia & Oducado, 2021; Lozano et al., 2023). Therefore, incorporating DGBL in CE can be a promising approach to enhance students' attitudes and learning experiences.