The effectiveness and learner acceptance of robot-facilitated board games for enhancing content-based English vocabulary learning

Despite the popularity of gamified language learning, research on using robots and smart objects to facilitate language learning games remains scarce. This study examined the effectiveness and learner acceptance of content-based language learning in a robot-facilitated board game embedded with gaming strategies such as coopetition. The mixed-methods experiment compared the effects of two game modes—robot-facilitated board games (RFBGs) and human-facilitated board games (HFBGs)—on seventh graders’ (a) chicken-and-egg knowledge acquisition, (b) productive knowledge of word form, and (c) receptive knowledge of word meaning in English. Fifty-nine participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group. Research instruments included pre/posttests on knowledge acquisition, productive knowledge of word form, and receptive knowledge of word meaning, a survey on learner acceptance of RFBGs, observation notes, and learner reflections on the RFBG experience. ANCOVA results showed that both game modes effectively improved content knowledge acquisition, productive knowledge of word form, and receptive knowledge of word meaning. Analysis on achievement levels showed that, for high-achieving learners, the perceived usefulness directly influenced learner motivation and the perceived ease of use directly influenced learner engagement and continued usage intention. For low-achieving learners, motivation directly influenced engagement; while learner attitudes toward use, as mediated by motivation and engagement, predicted continued usage intention. The study concluded that RFBGs are well-accepted by English language learners and are especially beneficial for low-achieving learners. RFBGs can facilitate knowledge acquisition, productive knowledge of word form, and receptive knowledge of word meaning through multimodality and embodiment in coopetition.