| The present research was an exploratory investigation of how computer gaming could be adopted in learning and teaching in the context of school education. Specifically, it was aimed at exploring the design of integrating constructivist computer game-based learning into formal school curriculum teaching. In view of the current deficiencies in the domain of computer game-based learning ([1] lack of appropriate computer games for formal curriculum teaching in school education, [2] lack of pedagogy for computer game-based learning, and [3] lack of understanding of students' computer game-based learning process), a three-stage research approach was adopted to achieve the research aim.;Stage I involved the design and technical implementation of an operable pedagogical framework, VISOLE (Virtual Interactive Student-Oriented Learning Environment) for facilitating the integration of constructivist computer game-based learning into formal school curriculum teaching. VISOLE is composed of three learning and teaching phases, namely Multi-disciplinary Scaffolding (Phase 1), Game-based Situated Learning (Phase 2), and Reflection and Debriefing (Phase 3). FARMTASIA is the first technical implementation of VISOLE, in which the content was developed based on the topic of Agriculture in the senior secondary Geography curriculum in Hong Kong.;Stage II involved a preliminary evaluative study on the deployment of VISOLE in 16 schools in the form of a competition. Notwithstanding the positive quantitative findings (such as students' positive perceptions of VISOLE, advancement in the subject knowledge, and self-evaluated enhancement on their problem-solving generic skills), the qualitative findings revealed that some phenomena emerged during the VISOLE process, impeding the students' learning process. The preliminary identification of those impeding phenomena threw light on the design of the study carried out in the next research stage.;Stage III involved a qualitative case study (with a single-case study approach) for gaining an in-depth understanding of students' learning process in VISOLE in the context of formal school curriculum teaching. Specifically, it looked into the impeding phenomena emerging during the course of students' learning in VISOLE, and investigated whether the teacher facilitation could mitigate or overcome those phenomena. In turn, four themes of impeding phenomena, namely (1) improvised gaming, (2) arbitrary gaming, (3) rote gaming, and (4) halt gaming were identified. Moreover, as evidenced in the study, a number of teacher facilitation acts, such as case-study- based debriefing (a designated teacher facilitation tasks specified in VISOLE), game operation skill scaffolding (a new teacher intervention) succeeded in tackling some of those impeding phenomena. The findings shed light on enhancing VISOLE's existing design and technical / classroom implementation.;Not only did the present research contribute to the domain through the proposal of VISOLE, it also provided insights into constructivist computer game-based learning and its integration into school education, as well as opened up the possibility for further study. |
