Augmented reality technologies for biodiversity education – a case study

Abstract

Mobile technology is developing fast in recent years, and the price of mobile devices is dropping and becoming affordable for the majority of people. As a result, the use of smartphones and tablets is increasing at a rapid rate, even among children. Nowadays, in many countries, smartphones are being used at school as advanced teaching tools to motivate children to learn better. One of the recent examples is the utilization of Augmented Reality mobile applications for educational purposes. This paper is presenting an AR mobile application, which is encouraging children to learn about biodiversity. The application was evaluated during a field trip with 15 pupils of around 10 years of age, and the results illustrate the behavior of the pupils using the application, and the potential of the app to create a connection between the students and the nature. Moreover, analyzing the time the pupils spent on the application demonstrates a motivation among the pupils to find out about various species through a combination of an outdoor activity and a mobile application.