Project: Investigating Chinese Parents’ Perceptions when Digital Game-based Learning is Implemented in their Children’s English Learning Settings

Abstract
With the popularity of digital technology, Digital Game-based Learning (DGBL) has received considerable attention as a new trend in education. Previous studies show negative perceptions of DGBL from parents are usually been seen as a barrier when implementing DGBL in the classroom. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the perceptions of parents before the implementation of DGBL. This current research aims to explore what factors might have correlations with the attitudes of Chinese parents and their common concerns when DGBL is implemented in their children’s English learning settings. The data was collected from 306 parents through an online questionnaire and 12 teachers through a semi-structured interview. The results show that parents with higher education level are more comfortable with the idea of using digital games to learn English, but they are also the ones who raise the most concerns. Another finding is the parents are extremely worried about the eyesight of their children, followed by violent content, game addiction and affecting schoolwork.

Keywords: digital game-based learning, Chinese parents, education background, eyesight.