On the Design of Embodiment-based Gamification Activities for Learning Fundamental Projectile Motion

Abstract

Based on theories of embodied cognition, this study applied technologies of natural user interface to design gamification activities for learning fundamental projectile motion. The embodiment-based design facilitates elementary learners to learn the abstract concept of fundamental projectile motion through their body-moving experience. When the learners perform gamification activities with their body movements, they can construct their knowledge schema through external perceptions. This study recruited 60 fourth to sixth grade students to participate the experiment. The participants were randomly and equally divided into bodymoving learning group and finger-touching learning group. The learners in the body-moving learning group directly use their body movements to accomplish the gamification learning activities. On the other hand, the learners in the finger-touching learning group have to hold a tablet PC and use only their fingers for all operations. Participants’ learning performance was evaluated through tests of factual knowledge and procedural knowledge. The result shows that the body-moving learning group outperformed the finger-touching learning group on speed in the factual knowledge test and projectile angle in procedure knowledge test. No significant difference was found in the rest of test items.