Exploring the impact of interactive games on the acquisition of Maltese prepositions

Abstract

Game-based learning is becoming more generally acknowledged as a successful instructional approach in higher education. The present study investigates the impact and effectiveness of game-based learning on adult international students, focusing on the interactive game The Mdina Castle’s Treasure Quest, to teach Maltese prepositions. While Żammit (2024) explored the theoretical potential of game-based learning, this study contributes empirical evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in practice. The following discussion contextualises these results within existing pedagogical literature. The study comprised an experimental group that acquired knowledge of Maltese prepositions using a game-based platform set on The Mdina Castle’s Treasure Quest and a control group that received conventional lecture-based training from the same teacher. The experimental group, consisting of 64 adult learners from international backgrounds, engaged in a game to find concealed medieval artefacts within the vast corridors, subterranean rooms, and fortified towers of Mdina Castle. Conversely, the control group, consisting of 62 adult learners, received instruction utilising conventional classroom techniques. The results indicated that the group participating in game-based learning achieved significantly higher scores than the control group in post-instruction evaluations on Maltese prepositions, highlighting the efficacy of this approach in structured language learning. Furthermore, the participants who engaged in game-based learning exhibited elevated levels of engagement, motivation, and favourable attitudes toward the process of learning. However, while these findings demonstrate the immediate effectiveness of game-based learning, future research should explore its long-term retention impact to determine the sustainability of learning outcomes. Providing vital insights into the efficacy of game-based approaches in higher education, this study emphasises the benefits of interactive gaming in language acquisition for adult learners and underscores the importance of immersive educational experiences.