Effects of game-based learning on academic outcomes: A study of technology acceptance and self-regulation in college students

Objective: This study investigates the interplay between the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), self-regulation strategies, and academic self-efficacy, and their collective impact on academic performance and perceived learning among college students engaged in remote education. Methods: A sample of 872 university students from Southern China participated in this study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the theoretical relationships among the variables. The research focused on two primary areas: the connection between academic self-efficacy and gameful self-regulation strategies within the framework of TAM, and the influence of TAM's three dimensions on students' perceived learning and academic performance. Results: Findings highlight self-efficacy and gameful self-regulation strategies, in enhancing technology acceptance. Improved acceptance of technology is shown to positively affect academic performance and the perceived learning experience of students in classes using game-based online resources. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the significance of self-efficacy and gameful self-regulation strategies in shaping students' perceptions and attitudes towards technology. These factors are found to be key determinants of both perceived learning and academic achievement in the context of game-based online resource classes.