Evaluating students’ learning achievement and flow experience with tablet PCs based on AR and tangible technology in u-learning

Published date20 November 2017
Date20 November 2017
Pages602-614
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-01-2017-0023
AuthorYueh-Min Huang,Pei Hsuan Lin
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information user studies,Metadata,Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet
Evaluating studentslearning
achievement and flow experience
with tablet PCs based on AR and
tangible technology in u-learning
Yueh-Min Huang and Pei Hsuan Lin
Department of Engineering Science, National Cheng Kung University,
Tainan, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose Advances in technology have led to continuous innovations in teaching and learning methods.
Ubiquitous-learning (u-learning) practices are still in the development stages. The current lack of effective
learning strategy tools means that students often experience difficulty focusing on the learning objectives.
Little research has been done on the educational benefits of integrating augmented reality (AR) technology
running on tablet PCs (TPCs), either in the classroom or in a u-learning environment. Still, classroom
instruction using TPCs has been shown to be attractive to students and able to effectively increase their
motivation to learn. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a TPC game (an app called SkyView) to help young
students understand the theory and practically implement the astronomy concepts of prograde and
retrograde motion. The study design is based on the use of AR technology, and the authors divide students
into tablet PC application(experimental group) and astrolabe(control group) games. The authors
investigate whether the experimental group surpasses the control group in terms of learning motivation,
flow experience (FE), self-efficacy regarding technology, self-efficacy regarding science, positive feelings
about the learning experience, and satisfaction with the learning approach (SL).
Findings The findings show that students in the experimental group performed better in regards to
learning achievement. In general, the improved FE helped students enjoy the learning activity to the point
that they did not notice the passage of time. In regards to SL, the findings show that the students in the
experimental group had an increased willingness to use the TPC to learn.
Originality/value There is a lack of research investigating the effects of the FE with tangible and
AR technology in learning environments. The results of this study show the responses and performance of
elementary students who participated in such a learning experience, in terms of their feelings regarding the
method and tools, and in terms of their motivation, willingness to learn, and actual learning achievement.
Keywords Self-efficacy,Learning motivation, Flow experience,Tablet PCs, Tangible technology, U-learning
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
With the rapid development of information technology, education is no longer only a face-to-face
experience. Innovative information technology has been combined with learning theory to
facilitate everything from electronic-learning (e-learning) to ubiquitous-learning (u-learning).
This is a major breakthrough in education.
When it comes to u-learning, many experts and scholars have focused on enhancing
studentslearning motivation and interest, and have also pointed out that authentic
activities can increase studentsability to solve problems in real life (Chen and Lin, 2016;
Herrington and Oliver, 2000; Hwang et al., 2010; Lave, 1991). Jonassen et al. (1998) noted that
information technology should support education by providing tools that allow students to
learn proactively. U-learning is a means by which to learn anywhere, at any time. The main
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 35 No. 4, 2017
pp. 602-614
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-01-2017-0023
Received 29 January 2017
Revised 25 June 2017
31 July 2017
Accepted 6 August 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
This research is partially supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, ROC under
Grant No. MOST 106-2511-S-006-006-MY3, MOST 106-2511-S-006-001-MY3, MOST 106-2511-S-006-
010-MY3, and 106-2622-S-006-001-CC2.
602
LHT
35,4

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