News Finding: A game that combined real-world experiments with interactions on a computer tablet improved learning by almost five times more than screen-only alternatives.
Paper Finding: A general implication for educational game design is that affording physical observation in the real world accompanied by real-time interactive feedback may be more important than affording simple hands-on control on a tablet.
News Context: A game that combined real-world experiments with interactions on a computer tablet improved learning by almost five times more than screen-only alternatives. The final analysis shows that the mixed-reality game improved learning by almost five times more than the screen-only alternatives, both in the mouse-controlled and physically controlled conditions. Not only that, but students enjoyed the game more in the mixed-reality conditions.
Paper Context: Our 2x2 experiment found no evidence that adding simple forms of hands-on control enhances learning, while demonstrating a large impact of physical observation. A general implication for educational game design is that affording physical observation in the real world accompanied by real-time interactive feedback may be more important than affording simple hands-on control on a tablet. Utilizing computer-vision technology to provide welldesigned interactive feedback to children while they interact with physical objects in their everyday environment may be an engaging and powerful way to learn .