Guiding teachers' game-based learning: How user experience of a digital curriculum guide impacts teachers’ self-efficacy and acceptance of educational games

Many curriculum guides are created to support teachers' adoption of digital games for learning. However, their impact on teachers' acceptance of games has not been studied. We investigate how the experience of theory-based curriculum guides for the educational game Discovery Tour Ancient Egypt affects teachers' confidence and acceptance of game-based learning. Teachers ( n = 100) reported positive experiences with the guide. Analysis revealed that the guide's pragmatic qualities predict teachers' acceptance of DTAE. This effect is mediated by their digital self-efficacy. Results suggest well-designed curriculum guides can increase teachers' acceptance of GBL, regardless of their prior knowledge of games. • Teachers' “digital game adoption” has lagged due to lack of curricular resources. • Game curriculum guides exist but their impact on teachers' acceptance is unknown. • Theory-based curriculum guides for games can offer positive experiences to teachers. • Guide experience predicts teachers' self-efficacy which predicts game acceptance. • Good guides can overcome teachers' game inexperience and improve acceptance.