隨著英語在全球學術界的廣泛使用,在一些以英語為第二語言的國家而言提高英語能力成了一種需要。此外在網路的進步及科技的發達下,電腦輔助語言也成了一個重要的趨勢,因此本研究使用Unity遊戲引擎開發了一款運用於網路平台的學習遊戲,採用學術界文本中出現頻率最高的570個學術字彙表(Academic Word List, AWL)作為實驗的測試範圍。 遊戲可分為學習和挑戰兩部分。學習系統的功能為增強學習者的字彙能力,創新方式為將原本的十個群組中再歸納為商業、人文、科學及法律四個類別,透過記憶策略以視覺化的圖形和關聯群組來刺激學習記憶;挑戰系統則試圖透過娛樂挑戰的性質下促進學習的可能性及學習成效。 本研究以42名研究生進行前後測驗評估,發現學習成效有顯著差異,並使用科技接受度問卷及對5位學生進行半結構式訪談後,發現學術字彙融入記憶策略之遊戲式學習,不僅能激發學生對於學習學術字彙的使用意圖,也能提升學習的動機和成效。然而使用記憶策略的方式進行字彙分組,是否能有效提高學生的學習成效,以及如何透過遊戲的方式持續激發學生對於學術字彙的學習意圖仍有待進一步的探討與研究。
With the extensive usage of English in global academic world, raising the level of English has become a necessity to many non-native English-speaking communities. Furthermore, the spread of Internet accessibility and game-based learning paradigm has become an important trend of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). This study explores vocabulary learning through the development of an Internet-based game prototype for learning academic words. The prototype utilizes the widely used Academic Word List (AWL570) as the main English academic vocabulary. The game engine of the prototype is the Unity system. The prototype of the game has two parts, namely, the learning part and the game-playing part. The learning part is for the support of enhancing learners’ vocabulary ability. An innovative approach in this prototype is to categorize the AWL into four categorization: humanities, commercial, legal and science. For pedagogical design, the memory strategies of the game employ visualized graphics and semantic organizer to stimulate the memorization of academic words on the learning system. The game-playing part is to enhance learning motivation with the challenge systems and for the feeling of students’ achievement. To test the usage of our prototype, we have convened 42 graduate students to participate the user study. The TAM questionnaires are employed for the usability study and semi-structured interviews are conducted for further collecting user perception of the prototype. The preliminary results shows that most of the users have positive responses to the use of the prototype. Their learning progress also shows convincing results after using the system. However, whether the use of categorization in the learning prototype for the memory strategies can improve student’s learning achievement, and issues on how long the game could last to motivate students’ academic vocabulary learning, remain to be further investigated.