Game-based learning (GBL) places high demand on educational resources and has been widely practiced in classrooms in many developed countries; however, few studies on GBL and its influencing factors have been conducted in developing countries. To address this research gap, a mixed-methods study was conducted in a state high school in the Amazon region of Colombia with 64 tenth-graders who were learning English as a foreign language to identify the factors that affect learners’ learning outcomes when serious games are applied to vocabulary learning, with a specific focus on learning engagement. This study drew on both quantitative and qualitative data collected from surveys, interviews, and pre- and post-tests. The results showed that engagement and prior knowledge can positively predict GBL outcomes, while contextual factors and family condition had an adverse impact on GBL outcomes (Adjusted R² = 0.635, p < 0.01). The results also indicated that a male student with a higher level of prior knowledge would be more likely to achieve good grades in GBL. Based on the study results, several implications are proposed for incorporating serious games for vocabulary learning in less-developed regions. This study results provide important practical implications for high schools in developing countries to implementing GBL.

Technology provides new learning environments in which 21st-century skills such as collaboration are involved, and English becomes the language of communication and interaction among participants. During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students faced the shift from face-to-face to online classes, which made students feel demotivated and lost opportunities to use English in meaningful environments. This article reports a qualitative research process to explore students’ perceptions of an Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) project focused on story writing between China and Colombia. Accordingly, surveys and interviews were implemented to gather datafrom the 51 students and 12 English teachers that participated in the study. The 51 students were divided into six groups, and each group was assigned two coordinators: one from China and one from Colombia. This article contributes to knowledge in OCL and cross-cultural communication since it describes students’ strengths and difficulties when interacting with others whose first language is not English. Specifically, it is concluded that speakers of English as a foreign language deal withchallenges and strengths related to time zone differences, English language proficiency, intrinsic motivation,and attitudes. It is also mentioned that teamwork skills, empathetic language, and the ability to use technology mediate the collaborative writing process.