Off The Paved Paths: Exploring Nature With A Mobile Augmented Reality Learning Tool

Mobile augmented reality ( MAR) is an increasingly popular technology for enhancing how people interact with and learn about the environment and objects in the physical world. However, little is known about what aspects of a MAR interface can enhance student learning and engagement. Building on field observations and interviews with experts, and formative studies on how mobile learners navigate spaces using different interfaces, the authors have designed, built, and evaluated the GreenHat MAR application to help students learn about biodiversity and sustainability issues in their natural environment. The authors' evaluation of the GreenHat MAR prototypes suggests that in comparison to a digital map on the same smartphone, MAR encouraged students to more carefully scrutinize physical field sites, and led them to make more personal discoveries to the subject matter being learned. They present the iterative design process, results from the authors' studies, and discuss the implications for the design of mobile learning tools.