Using Augmented Reality Flashcards to Learn Vocabulary in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) flashcards have emerged as an important educational resource for language learning. However, there is limited research on its application in early childhood education. This article aims to explore the technology’s value in early childhood education by comparing it with traditional paper flashcards. To that end, a study was conducted in which 98 children, aged between 5 and 6 years, and four teachers, all from a Macau kindergarten, took part. One group of children had animal-related vocabulary using AR flashcards, while another group used traditional flashcards. To measure the effectiveness of the two approaches, the children underwent pre- and posttests on their vocabulary and the teachers were interviewed. For the data analysis, paired-sample t tests and independent-sample t tests were utilized, and the level of effect was measured. The results showed that both AR and traditional flashcards could significantly improve children’s vocabulary learning and that there was no significant difference in effectiveness between the AR and traditional flashcard methods. The teachers indicated that the children enjoyed the AR learning activities, but that there were certain challenges associated with using AR flashcards in a kindergarten setting.

Augmented reality in language learning: A state‐of‐the‐art review of 2014–2019

“… Research on different strategies in AR usage : The strategies employed in an AR environment are different from the ones encaptured during the use of traditional media. Thus, there is a need to investigate the relationship between enjoyment, engagement, motivation and learning performance in AR activities (Chen & Chan, 2019; Yilmaz et al, 2017) using different modalities for interactivity as well as social and collaborative elements. Ho, Hsieh, Sun, and Chen (2017) suggest for future researchers to test different learning strategies while using AR for different cognitive styles, with an eye to align and optimize the learning strategies employed while using AR according to each individual user's cognitive style.…”

“…This state-of-the-art review provided suggestions for future research which include the development of a structural model of AR experience and a standardized methodology of assessing the impact of AR, the need for deeper understanding of the different strategies in AR usage and its playful character for enhancing language learning and the reconsideration of instructional design with AR. Examples of research foci to be exploited in future studies include the investigation of the relationship between enjoyment, engagement, motivation and learning performance in AR activities (Chen & Chan, 2019;Yilmaz et al, 2017), the alignment of different learning strategies while using AR for different cognitive styles (Ho et al, 2017), and the role of cognitive load in learning performance with consideration of motivational factors (Cheng, 2017). To this aim, new measures and methodologies can be added in the toolbox of AR researchers such as neuro-imaging techniques and thinking aloud research method, for capturing learners' perceptions of AR (Cheng, 2017).…”

Augmented Reality for Early Language Learning: A Systematic Review of Augmented Reality Application Design, Instructional Strategies, and Evaluation Outcomes

“…However, previous research has suggested no extra learning gains with such an approach in young children (Juan et al., 2010; Pu & Zhong, 2018). This may be because young children’s attention may not be always on the correct place without the explicit guidance (R. W. Chen & Chan, 2019). Admittedly, most studies only evaluated short-term learning gains with a small sample of participants with various ages and, with limited samples, we could not make a strong claim about the effectiveness of these strategies.…”

Applying Instructional Design Principles on Augmented Reality Cards for Computer Science Education

“…AR cards represent a variation of AR-supported learning that can be used in different contexts [3]. AR cards have already been tested for learning English vocabulary [4], for collaborative work [5] and for the promotion of computational thinking skills [6]. From a technological point of view, such cards belong to the type of marker-based AR systems, since the superimposition of reality around virtual artifacts is done by the recognition of an image.…”