Improving students’ learning with a mobile augmented reality approach – the EduPARK game
Interactive Technology and Smart Education
ISSN: 1741-5659
Article publication date: 30 August 2019
Issue publication date: 23 September 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a survey study that analyzes mobile learning through students’ opinion regarding the use of mobile devices for learning, including their advantages and difficulties, as well as the educational value of a specific mobile learning strategy, reified in the EduPARK game, after an experience of exploring it in formal and non-formal educational contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper comprises a survey study where mobile learning is analyzed through the eyes of 244 students attending the second or third cycles of basic education. The acknowledged advantages and difficulties of the use of mobile devices for learning, as well as the educational value and usability of a specific mobile learning strategy, using the EduPARK app and game, were analyzed.
Findings
Results revealed that most students owned a mobile device and were able to use them to learn. They had a positive perspective regarding mobile learning and valued the advantages of being easy to find up-to-date information, motivating for learning and easy to carry along. Difficulties are related to the use of mobile devices, such as requiring an internet connection, its slowness and prohibition of mobile devices in schools. The EduPARK game achieved an average educational value scale of 83.8 and an average system usability scale of 80.2, indicating its high educational value and usability for students.
Originality/value
This paper presents empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of the integration of mobile game-based augmented reality approaches in basic education to promote students’ learning. It also includes an example of excellent cross-subjects educational materials comprising a very useful tool for teachers and students to explore scientific knowledge by accessing appealing information on biological and historical references of a local urban park.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work is financed by FEDER – Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020 – Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), and by Portuguese funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia within the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016542.
This paper is based on the presentation showcased at the International Conference on Mobile Learning 2019 (organized by IADIS), in Utrecht.
Citation
Pombo, L. and Marques, M.M. (2019), "Improving students’ learning with a mobile augmented reality approach – the EduPARK game", Interactive Technology and Smart Education, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 392-406. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-06-2019-0032
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited