Effectiveness of Virtual Explorace Game Towards Students’ Performance in Physics Subject During Pre-Diploma Programme

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected most countries around the world, forcing most of Malaysia’s educational institutions to shift from face-to-face learning to e-learning or known as open and distance learning (ODL). Students must adopt new learning methods as educational technology advances in order to increase their interests, participations, and motivations in Science subjects’. The purpose of this study is to analyze and investigate the effectiveness of introducing game-based learning activities on students' performance in Physics classes. The research was carried out in UiTM Cawangan Negeri Sembilan Kampus Kuala Pilah, where the Virtual Physics Explorace activity was implemented for 52 Pre-Diploma students. It was carried out via the Telegram platform, with three checkpoints to be completed in a two-hours’ session. Each checkpoint contains a game created with online platforms such as Kahoot, Quizizz, and Word Wall templates, and it covers Physics’ topics such as measurement, kinematics, dynamics, energy, waves, optics, and electricity. The students' performance was evaluated based on the total scores they achieved during the activity and compared to their previous Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia’s (SPM) grade and continuous assessments’ grade in the Pre-Diploma programme. According to the findings, 65.71 percent of them received credit grade (at least a C) in Physics or Science subjects during SPM level, meanwhile 77.14 percent during the virtual Physics explorace activity, and 85.71 percent in their Physics continuous assessments’ marks. This also suggests that gamification can be used as a multifaceted tool to improve students' engagement in class and their understanding of Physics' concepts in an interactive way.