Thematic Analysis of Student's Reflections on ProNaja X2 – Board Game in Learning Basic Programming

ProNaja X2 is an innovation of the classic snake-ladder board game designed specifically as a tool for learning basic programming concepts. In this study, we examined the potential of the ProNaja X2 learning tool as a motivation and engagement changer of participants towards a game-based learning approach (GBL). Qualitative research was conducted on nine participants from undergraduate education students majoring in Information Technology from three different series of admission sessions at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Participants followed ProNaja X2 intervention sessions periodically for seven weeks starting from the seventh week of the study. Thematic analysis based on participant interview transcriptions and intervention session observation reports revealed themes centred on the dimensions of the learning domain, namely cognitive, affective and psychomotor. In the cognitive dimension, the ProNaja X2 game has the power to be a stimulating factor in the information processing cycle as well as help the construction process of new knowledge. In the affective dimension, the ProNaja X2 game has the power to change the student's level of excitement in a more positive direction towards learning basic programming. In the psychomotor dimension, the challenges in ProNaja X2 have the potential to be a driving factor for student involvement in being active in socialising and interacting in order to achieve meaningful learning goals.