Integration of ECGs in English Teaching
In order to motivate learners and meet their different individual learning styles, more and more researchers propose new teaching curriculum designs and methods. One of the potential methods is integrating educational computer games (ECGs) into classroom (Hinostroza et al., 2011; Turel & Johnson, 2012). ECGs are computers games with pedagogical purposes, have been widely discussed in the field of English teaching in recent years (deHaan et al., 2010; Ketelhut et al., 2011; Peterson, 2010; Yang et al., 2010; Zheng et al., 2009). In the past few years, many studies have also demonstrated the benefits of ECGs in English learning context (Barendregt & Bekker, 2011; Chiu, et al., 2012; Smith, et al., 2013; Zheng, et al., 2009). ECSs not only can enhance the interaction with learners (Barendregt & Bekker, 2011; Chen & Huang, 2013; Kebritchi, 2010), but most importantly, they can provide more active involvement, creating personal motivation and satisfaction, and accommodating multiple learning styles (Kebritchi, 2010).
Although ECGs have the potential power to motivate learners and increase the learning efficiency; however, teachers in teaching practice tend not to integrate ECGs as in class activities or as after school assignments. Some research suggests that it is due to the gap existing between learners and teachers (Blakely et al., 2010; Paraskeva et al., 2010). Learners nowadays have different learning styles which are changing rapidly with the development of technology and the Internet, while teachers’ teaching methods are not changing synchronously (Tao et al., 2012). Therefore, more understanding of teachers’ practice and perspectives on ECGs is needed.