A mixed methods assessment of students' flow experiences during a mobile augmented reality science game.

Current studies have reported that secondary students are highly engaged while playing mobile augmented reality ( AR) learning games. Some researchers have posited that players' engagement may indicate a flow experience, but no research results have confirmed this hypothesis with vision-based AR lea...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 505 - 518
Autores principales: Bressler, D.M., Bodzin, A.M.
Formato: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Dec2013
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Current studies have reported that secondary students are highly engaged while playing mobile augmented reality ( AR) learning games. Some researchers have posited that players' engagement may indicate a flow experience, but no research results have confirmed this hypothesis with vision-based AR learning games. This study investigated factors related to students' engagement - as characterized by flow theory - during a collaborative AR, forensic science mystery game using mobile devices. School Scene Investigators: The Case of the Stolen Score Sheets is a vision-based AR game played inside the school environment with Quick Response codes. A mixed methods approach was employed with 68 urban middle school students. Data sources included pre- and post-surveys, field observations and group interviews. Results showed that neither gender nor interest in science was an important predictor of variability in flow experience. Gaming attitude uniquely predicted 23% of the variance in flow experience. Student flow experience features included a flash of intensity, a sense of discovery and the desire for higher performance. The findings demonstrated a potential for mobile AR science games to increase science interest and help students learn collaboration skills. Implications for future research concerning mobile AR science games are discussed.