Design of a Mobile Augmented Reality Platform with Game-Based Learning Purposes

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) is an emergent technology that overlays virtual objects into the real environment. Lately, AR is gaining prominence in education because of its increasing affordability through computers or mobile technologies. In addition, research sustaining the benefits of AR to promote student’s engagement to learn is increasing every day. However, the literature identifies lack of studies about the use of AR in education, namely, studies focused on the development of AR games designed over specific learning objectives (game-based learning). This paper presents a mobile augmented reality platform with learning purposes. The platform includes a mobile application that consists of a location-based game targeted to promote learning about the universe. Furthermore, it includes a back-office that allows teachers to introduce information about celestial bodies and also develop a set of multiple-choice questions to assess student’s learning about the subject matters they teach. The mobile application provides the users with physical movement and social interaction in the real world, while playing the game and for this reason it is included in the pervasive games’ paradigm. Besides engaging the students to play the game, we argue that this platform may be used as a resource to be implemented in informal and formal learning environments.

Particle Physics Simulator for Scientific Education using Augmented Reality

“…Several surveys including questionnaires were conducted with primary school students and teachers. According to the results, the application enhances the students' interest to learn about solar system and keep them engaged [29].…”

“…The authors concluded proposed system improved students learning motivation [28]. • Maria Cristina Costa et al presented a mobile augmented reality based application called PlanetarySys-temGo which is a location-based game to promote learning about the universe [29]. The architecture of the system is divided into three components: platform server (manages all data in the system), Web application (the assessment of learning outcomes with a back office) and mobile app (created using unity 3D to provide dynamic environment to create AR content) as shown in Fig.…”

“…[ 29] it has been noted that the PlanetarySystemGo platform has great potential in serving as an informal and formal learning environment about the solar system for all students.…”

“…The quantitative analysis is based on a survey as suggested in [21], [29]. A questionnaire was developed for analyzing the effectiveness of the proposed system.…”

“…Questionnaire shown in Table IV is similar to the questionnaires developed in [21], [29]. In [21], [29], a post-study questionnaire involving scale-based and free-response questions was taken from fifteen participants aged between 21-31 years. Whereas in our study, a total of 20 college students aged between 19 and 22 years participated.…”