Peer-reviewed article
Situating Learning in AR Fantasy, Design Considerations for AR Game-Based Learning for Children
Tengjia Zuo, Jixiang Jiang, Erik D. van der Spek, Max Valentin Birk, Jun Hu ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how augmented reality games with fantasy and real-life narratives affect learning engagement in children aged 7-11. Two AR games were tested: one for mathematics learning and one for English as a second language. The researchers found that fantasy narratives helped engage students in mathematics but distracted them in language learning, suggesting that the type of narrative should be chosen based on the learning subject and how closely the story relates to what is being taught.
Key points
- Fantasy narratives increased engagement for mathematics learning but decreased it for second-language learning
- Children reported higher imagination with fantasy narratives but better analogical thinking with real-life narratives
- Teachers' scaffolding differed by subject: complex interactions for mathematics, story interpretation for language learning
- Mixing fantasy and real-life settings is recommended rather than using one exclusively
- AR interaction design should be simple and include pedagogical agents to support teacher scaffolding
Limitations
The study involved only 62 children from Netherlands and Italy and tested just two AR games, limiting generalizability to other subjects and contexts. The research does not examine long-term learning outcomes or whether the engagement differences translate to actual improved academic achievement.
Abstract
(1) Background: Augmented reality (AR) game-based learning, has received increased attention in recent years. Fantasy is a vital gaming feature that promotes engagement and immersion experience for children. However, situating learning with AR fantasy to engage learners and fit pedagogical contexts needs structured analysis of educational scenarios for different subjects. (2) Methods: We present a combined study using our own built AR games, MathMythosAR2 for mathematics learning, and FancyBookAR for English as second-language learning. For each game, we created a fantasy and a real-life narrative. We investigated player engagement and teachers’ scaffolding through qualitative and quantitative research with 62 participants aged from 7 to 11 years old. (3) Results: We discovered that fantasy narratives engage students in mathematics learning while disengaging them in second-language learning. Participants report a higher imagination with fantasy narratives and a higher analogy with real-life narratives. We found that teachers’ scaffolding for MathMythosAR2 focused on complex interactions, for FancyBookAR, focused on story interpretation and knowledge explanation. (4) Conclusions: It is recommended to mix fantasy and real-life settings, and use simple AR interaction and pedagogical agents that enable teachers’ scaffolding seamlessly. The design of AR fantasy should evaluate whether the story is intrinsically related to the learning subjects, as well as the requirements of explicit explanation.