CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the conceptual and research literature, synthesis,

theoretical and conceptual framework, and the definition of terms used in this study.

CONCEPTUAL LITERATURE

The books, journals, articles and other reviews used gave the researchers a

background knowledge and guide in selection and inclusion of content in the study.

The following review of literature includes concepts on: (1) Educational online

games, (2) Long term vocabulary retention and (3) Vocabulary.

Educational online games. It ensure more student’s engagement, enjoyment,

commitment and interest. It increases their involvement in the teaching learning process

that will promote successful learning. Students best remember and learn things when

they are part in doing. If students will be teach, particularly vocabulary teaching in an

ordinary way, only their present problems are solved. But if the students are taught to

work out or discover meaning for themselves, it would be remarkable to them that will

lead to long term vocabulary retention. Educational online games are like water in us. It

refreshes the student’s mind. If someone takes it, it will fill the thirstiness of the student

in vocabulary retention.

Throughout the book, Whitton works from the very basic elements of games to

develop the reader’s understanding of their potential. The genres include adventure,

platform, puzzle, role-play, shooter, sports, and strategy games. Whitton then discusses

types of learning that can be facilitated through gaming, such as applying skills,
developing strategies, analyzing information, evaluating situations, changing attitudes,

and creating knowledge.

An educational game, one designed for learning, is a subset of both fun and play.

(Prensky, 2001) define educational games as a melding of educational content, learning

principles and computer games. Educational Online Games deals with the current

thinking about games in education, informed by research. It takes a measured tone,

stating both the benefits and obstacles of using games.

The Entertainment Software Association (2001) highlighted the following four

main reasons why games are played: Games are fun, challenging and interactive social

experience that can be shared with friends and family. Games provide a lot of

entertainment. It can be seen that play, fun and interaction dominates the reason why

games are played. The reason games are so engaging is because the primary objective

of the game designer is to keep the user engaged (Prensky, 2001). Admittedly, this is

not the primary concern of educators, whose concern is to instruct and get the material

across. However, with increased levels of motivation and engagement, instruction can

be made less painful for the student.

A study by Garzotto (2007) revealed that multiplayer online games provide

learning benefits on affective level as well as knowledge domain. Students were found

enjoying the games, always engaged, motivated, and excited during the game play

session. Educational games encompass a wide range of activities that can support

playing, entertainment and learning, teaching on many disciplines.

Educational game is a branch of games that is designed purposely for teaching

and learning. Educational games as the knowledge of pedagogy that is integrated with
the features of games that are motivating, engaging and rewarding to users. Thus,

educational games can be defined as games technology for teaching or learning that

integrates educational content of specific subject designed to meet desired learning

outcomes for specific students. It is primarily designed to infuse more motivation for

students to learn (Roslina Ibrahim, AzizahJaafar, 2006).

Games also provide the opportunity for learners to reinforce previously learned

information and acquire new knowledge.  By involving repetition and allowing important

points to be reiterated, games appear to increase retention and application.  In addition,

games are believed to connect theory and practice and provide the opportunity for

immediate feedback (Telner et al., 2010). 

Long-term vocabulary retention. Information is not stored like a piece of paper in

a filing cabinet; it is stored according to categories or features. You reconstruct what

you must recall when you need it. When you say a friend has a good memory, you

probably mean he or she can recall a wide variety of information accurately. The

capacity of long term memory appears to be limitless. Long-term memory contains

representation of countless facts, experiences and sensations (Richard A. Kasschau,

(2001) Understanding Psychology, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.).

Vocabulary. Without vocabulary our life is useless. We can’t communicate or

understand something if we do not know it. Vocabulary items are often deemed as

“building blocks” of a language (Amirian & Heshmatifar, 2013). Without the knowledge

of a certain amount of vocabulary in the target language, learners cannot effectively

learn to listen, speak, read, or write in the language (Nation, 2001). (Fukkink et al. 2005)
echoed this view by claiming that understanding will be greatly hampered without

knowing the words’ meanings in a text.

Generally speaking, vocabulary can be taught in different ways each of which

with its own merits and demerits. Learning vocabulary from context or 'incidental

learning' as opposed to 'direct intentional learning' is two different ways of learning

vocabulary. According to Nation (2001) extensive reading is useful for vocabulary

growth and is called incidental learning. On the other hand, according to Nielson (2006)

at early stages of language development, 'de-contextualized' vocabulary instruction has

been found to be more effective in building a fundamental vocabulary than the

contextualized reading. Later he suggested that teachers of beginner level learners

need to include greater amount of 'de-contextualized' vocabulary instruction (word list)

gradually increasing toward more context based vocabulary learning (extensive reading)

as the language ability of the learners develops.

Research Literature

The following research studies discussed different points of view relative to

educational online games as tool for long term retention.

Huyen and Nga (2003) investigated the effectiveness of learning vocabulary

through computer games. In this study, the researchers observed their Vietnamese

students by conducting different kinds of games in order to see how students reacted to

this method of learning English vocabulary.

For future study, it suggested that the students can easily learned vocabulary

more quickly by playing games (word puzzles) than by using the traditional method
(reading and listening) of learning. Eighteen out of the 20 participants indicated that the

games were one of the most effective ways of learning vocabulary.

Yip and Kwan (2006) conducted a similar research by investigating the

usefulness of online games in vocabulary learning for undergraduate Chinese students.

The experiment was divided into two groups: the experimental group learnt some

vocabulary from two online games (puzzle game and shooting game), while the control

group learnt the same vocabulary through activity-based lessons (e.g. drawing

pictures).

For future study, it suggested and showed that the experimental group (playing

online vocabulary games) tends to learn better and could recall the vocabulary for a

longer period than the control group who attended the activity based lessons.

According Turgut and Irgin (2009), online games were used to investigate young

learners’ experience of learning English, while playing advanced computer games (e.g.

GTA Vice City, Counter Strike, FIFA08) in internet cafes in Turkey. Data was gathered

among participants in the age of 10-14 through observations and semi-structured

interviews

For further studies, participants mainly indicated that the games enhanced

language learning, because it motivated them to learn unknown words.

Yeh and Wang (2003) examined the effectiveness of three types of vocabulary

annotations on word learning: (1) text-only (Chinese translation and English definition);

(2) text-picture (text and image displays the target word); (3) text-picture-sound (text,

image, and an audio annotation: a native speaker reading and spelling the word).
 The results of this study showed that the text-picture condition was the most

effective type of vocabulary recognition. The main reason of the low effect of the sound

element can be explained by the rate of speech of the words. Participants indicated that

the rate of speech was often too high, so that they could not hear the words properly.

Therefore, the poorly audible words decreased the validity of the text-picture-sound

condition.

According to Su,Chung-Ho and Cheng, Ching-Hsue (2013) to enhance software

engineering learning, this paper develops a 3D game-based learning system to assist

teaching and assess the students' motivation, satisfaction and learning achievement. A

quasi-experimental design is based on the ARCS Theory (Attention, Relevance,

Confidence, and Satisfaction) to investigate the effectiveness of game-based learning

strategy in 3-dimension virtual reality scenario. The students are randomly assigned into

two groups for quasi-experimental design. In game-based learning, the curriculum

content is mapped into the game to provide a scenario learning environment.

Therefore, after the implementation of quasi-experimental design, the pre-test

and post-test results shown that 3D game-based learning system with software

engineering curriculum could achieve a better learning achievement and motivation than

using traditional instruction. The statistical test displayed that learning motivations of

students have significant impact on learning achievement, and learning achievements of

students with game-based learning are better than those who use traditional face-to-

face teaching. After re-checked the questionnaire, this paper finds that game-based

learning challenging and attractiveness can lead to learners' curiosity and immersion in

learning activity. And the results show that 80% students are satisfaction, and 83%
students are confidence for the course learning after use the game-based learning

system. Lastly, the research results could provide to related educators as references.

This obtained results have shown different ideas about the contribution of

educational online games on the student’s learning. And all research studies have one

goal in mind and it is to develop and improve the learning process of the learner.

Synthesis

This section presents the significance of the literatures reviewed as

compared with the present study. Educational online games, provide the opportunity for

learners to reinforce previously learned information and acquire new knowledge.

Students should use it in a good way, to get a positive effects in their lives, especially in

study.

The aforementioned literature and studies were found to be very useful as bases

for this study. Aside from the information value they provided, the researcher got deeper

insights for the present investigation. The literature and studies strengthened the

concepts and served as sources of important data needed in the conduct of the study

and in one way or the other influenced and enriched the thought and views of the

researcher concerning educational online games as a tool for a long term vocabulary

retention.

The studies reviewed tend to point out that all of the selected literatures are

related in many ways with the present investigation and outlook. Specifically, the ones

that closely related with the present work are the studies of Whitton, Garzotto(2007),

Prensky(2001), Telner(2010) Richard A. Kasschau(2001). These five studies support

the evidences that educational online games serve as motivation to the student for their

successful learning. It helps the student in many ways such as to develop strategies, to

analyze information, to evaluate situation, to change their attitudes and to create new

information.

Although the studies of Yeh and Wang(2003), Yip and Kwan(2006), Turgut and

Irgin (2009) states that using text picture is more effective in the recognition of

vocabulary than using audiovisual games.

The research literature cited different point of views related to educational online

games as a tool for long term vocabulary retention as well as the conceptual literature

which give us deep understanding of the present study to be conducted. The recent

studies have bearing in our study because it is very useful to us. The data and

information we gathered from it will be our guide in our study.