Effects of digital game-based learning on students’ self-efficacy, motivation, anxiety, and achievements in learning mathematics

In this study, a mathematical game-based learning environment is developed on e-books for helping children reduce mathematical anxiety and improve their self-efficacy, motivation, and achievements in learning mathematics. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted on an elementary school mathematics course. With quasi-experimental research, a total of 69 pupils in three classes were selected as the research subjects. One class was assigned to be experimental group A, another class was experimental group B, and the third was the control group. Each group consisted of 23 students. In the experimental process, the three groups took pre-tests, had experimental instruction, and then took post-tests. The experimental results show that the game-based e-book learning model effectively promoted the students’ learning achievement, self-efficacy, and motivation of mathematics. However, no significant differences were found between the mathematical anxiety ratings of the three groups.