Exploring EFL primary school teachers’ behavioral intention towards digital game-based learning

Abstract

This study investigates the factors influencing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) primary school teachers’ behavioral intention (BI) to integrate Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) into their teaching practices. Despite digital gaming’s growing popularity as an educational tool, its application in primary school EFL instruction remains limited. To bridge this gap, the research employs a quantitative approach utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) within the context of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explore EFL teachers’ BI to implement DGBL. A sample of 500 EFL primary school teachers from Shandong Province, China, was surveyed. The study analyzed the relationships among five variables: attitude towards technology (ATT), perceived usefulness (PU), technology perception (TP), technology anxiety (TA), and BI. The results reveal that ATT and TP are significant predictors of teachers’ BI to employ DGBL. Conversely, TA does not exert an influence on ATT. The mediating role of ATT is demonstrated by the positive influence of PU and TP on it, which subsequently reinforces teachers’ BI to adopt DGBL. By contrast, TA does not exhibit a notable impact on ATT, suggesting a limited indirect effect of TA on their BI to engage with DGBL. These findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders interested in promoting the adoption of innovative technologies like digital games in primary education. The study concludes with practical implications for DGBL implementation and proposes potential avenues for future research.