Students' perceptions about the influence of educational games on achievement and motivation, a study based on the Flow Theory

Purpose: The present study analyzed the influence of educational games on the perceptions of motivation and achievement of students in an Accounting and Cost Analysis course at a university in the South of Brazil. Methodology: The students played a game followed by a questionnaire was applied to 32 (thirty-two) students. The applied game is called Space Race. The questionnaire applied was based on the Theory of Flow in order to capture the students' perceptions regarding the flow experience lived during the application of the game. The Flow Theory analyzes the mental state characterized by concentration and focus on an activity resulting in achievement and motivation, based on the balance between skills and the challenge faced. Quantitative data were treated using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The results showed that the students felt a flow experience, with the dimensions of Clarity of Objective and Feedback being the ones that most contributed to this result. Other results were that: i) Immediate feedback motivated students who were marking right answers, but frustrated those who were wrong, ii) The competition from the game generated different reactions of anxiety to motivation in the students, and iii) Problems with the connection with the internet while performing the game reveal a technological barrier. Study Contributions: The study contributes by: i) presenting the Flow Theory and its dimensions, a tool that can be used to measure student motivation and achievement; ii) when analyzing the students' perceptions regarding the application of an educational game; iii) by introducing a free game appropriate to the context of teaching in accounting.