Creating an Interactive and Storytelling Educational Physics App
Krzysztof Szklanny, Łukasz Homoncik, Marcin Wichrowski, Alicja Wieczorkowska
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15439/2017F95
Citation: Proceedings of the 2017 Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, M. Ganzha, L. Maciaszek, M. Paprzycki (eds). ACSIS, Vol. 11, pages 1269–1273 (2017)
Abstract. Ubiquitous mobile technology makes m-learning an increasingly popular method of education. The technique of distance learning using mobile devices, such as tablets or smartphones to present educational content, can constitute an effective tool to support the learning process. Our goal was to combine education with entertainment (edutainment) for teaching physics using mobile devices. A sample of 11 students participated in this study, namely college seniors, IT (information technology) students from Poland. Since we performed user experience studies, this sample is sufficient. A game for mobile devices was designed. This game is an interactive and storytelling educational physics app based on user experience and edutainment guidelines. We analysed the market for mobile devices, educational physics mobile applications in the world and in Poland, and we conclude that mobile apps can be broadly used as the technology is available for most of the students, and there are very few apps available. Moreover, none of them offers education in the form of entertainment. After preparing the app, we performed usability tests. These tests showed that most of the students consider the game useful. They also suggested improvements which can increase the playability of the game. Despite the large interest in educational games, the existing apps lack interactivity and visualization of abstract concepts. Learning through play can be broadly applied to teach physics, educational apps can be created, and used by students as a supplement of the science and technological education.
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