An Exploration of Relationship between Motivation and Perceptions in Physics Learning of Light through Game-like Simulation and Its Impact on the Gender Gap

Abstract

With regarding the benefit of digital game-based learning in promoting students’ motivation to learn science and the potential of computer simulation in visualizing invisible features of scientific phenomena, this study conducted a pilot study by implementing an innovative learning environment, called “game-like simulation” for promoting secondary school students’ physics learning aboutlight phenomena. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between physics motivation and perception toward the game-like simulation of light. 86 eleventh-grade students were recruited to participate in this study. The results indicated that there was a significant correlation between physics motivation and perception toward the game-like simulation. The results showed that intrinsic motivation was not related to enjoyment; career motivation was not related to perceived playfulness; self-efficacy was not related to perceived playfulness and enjoyment. In additions, the findings showed that there was an impact of gender difference on perceived ease of use. Moreover, the students trend to have positive perception of physics learning after interacting with the simulation. To the last, finding of this research implied that the game-like simulation could be used to promote students’ learning in physics of light by regarding existing physics motivation.