An Educational Wildlife Game-based Learning Application for Young Learners Using Augmented Reality

Abstract

These digital days, the learning curve in the educational sector is changing progressively because of technological advancements and societal demands. Technology integration, particularly, provides the ability to engage in diverse learning platforms, which then expose the learners to an immersive learning experience. This study introduced augmented reality (AR) game-based learning mobile application to young learners in exploring wildlife conservation. However, the challenge in mixing fun gameplay and essential wildlife education to foster young learner's interest in wildlife conservation can be tough. In capturing the attention of young learners, the project aims to create a captivating wildlife game application that combines education with entertainment. This project employs a prototyping method, allowing for iterative development and testing of the AR game application to ensure its effectiveness in delivering educational content. The application incorporates interactive elements such as 3D models of wildlife with vocal features and quizzes elements. Findings reveal that the application facilitated the refinement of game mechanics and educational content based on user feedback, leading to an engaging and educational final product. The results emphasize the success of the approach is not only capturing young learner's interest but also increasing their knowledge and awareness of wildlife conservation. In the future, the incorporation of other elements such as leaderboard, badges and rewards have the potential to stimulate young learners’ motivation to actively participate in the learning program.