Learning Grammar and Vocabulary using GVScapes

The implementation of GVScapes during English lessons

Upon the testing of GVScapes and interview sessions with the course lecturer, some advantages and disadvantages were discovered.

Advantages

It was found that students appeared to enjoy learning grammar due to these reasons: 

1) provided more autonomy for the students to navigate their own learning pace •      students were not confined in classroom settings as they were mobilized around UMS campus (e.g. PPIB, UMS clock tower, UMS library, FKI and Chancellor Hall) 

2) students were also exposed to problem-based learning where they needed to find the solutions to their problems (e.g. means of transport to reach different locations, deciphering the answers to the quizzes) 

3) injected the element of technology-enabled learning in a conventional teaching of grammar and vocabulary 

4) students learned grammar and vocabulary in context which was in line with the course learning outcomes and teaching approach (i.e communicative language teaching)

Disadvantages

Apart from the multitude benefits obtained via GVScapes, a few shortcomings were identified, such as: 

1) safety hazards: students playing GVScapes might be unaware of this surroundings. This is in line with the findings in that of Serino, Cordrey, McLaughlin and Milaniak (2016) where safety was definitely the main issue such as the students’ physical wellbeing (e.g. injury, abduction, trespassing and violence) 

2)  Quiz contents: Limited quizzes were available. Once students had completed the quizzes and captured the AR objects they were no continuation of games or further activities. Thus, the lecturer had to initiate another teaching and learning activities for the students.