A Pilot Study Exploring Augmented Reality to Increase Motivation of Chi- Nese College Students Learning English

Paper ID #10952 A Pilot Study Exploring Augmented Reality to Increase Motivation of Chi- nese College Students Learning English Miss Shanshan Li, Purdue University I am a graduate student in computer graphics technology at Purdue University. My research interest is exploring and analyzing user experience in augmented reality, speciﬁcally using AR as a educational and marketing tool. Apart from that, I am also interested in interactive design and web construction, information architecture,persuasive technology. Miss Yang Chen, Purdue University Dr. David M Whittinghill, Purdue University, West Lafayette Dr. David Whittinghill is an Assistant Professor of Computer Graphics Technology and Computer and Information Technology. Dr. Whittinghill’ s research focuses on simulation, gaming and computer programming and how these technologies can more effectively address outstanding issues in health, education, and society in general. Dr. Whittinghill leads projects in pediatric physical therapy, sustainable energy simulation, phobia treat- ment, cancer care simulation, and games as a tool for improving educational outcomes. Dr. Whittinghill is the director of GamesTherapy.org. Prior to joining Purdue he was a senior software engineer in the research industry focused upon the ﬁelds of visualization, games, agent-based modeling, digital anti-tampering, robotics, pharmaceuticals, and web development. His primary skills expertise is in computer programming. Dr. Mihaela Vorvoreanu, Purdue University, West Lafayette Page 24.85.1 Page c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Exploring the Potential for Augmented Reality to Motivate English Vocabulary Learning in Chinese College Students Abstract With the advent and accelerated development of augmented reality (AR), an increasing number of studies have been conducted to test the effectiveness of this technique in education. Few, however, have investigated how AR might influence students’ motivation toward learning of a second language. To address this gap in the literature, we used a combination of convenience sampling and criterion sampling to select five Chinese college students to evaluate an English vocabulary learning application built upon augmented reality technology. To assess student motivation, the ARCS motivational model was adopted. A semi-structured interview with open- ended questions was used to collect data. Participants indicated that though they were attracted by this tool at the beginning, their motivation level decreased toward the end of the study session. An interpretation of our observations in the context of the ARCS model suggests three motivational issues. First, predefined AR materials failed to establish relevance to subjects’ personal interests and previous experiences. Secondly, subjects’ confidence seemed to have been negatively influenced due to their difficulty in achieving the stated learning objectives. Lastly, technical issues delayed the computer quickly identifying the triggering image and thus resulted in a noticeable lack of system responsiveness. It seems this delay decreased subjects’ satisfaction and distracted their attention from the learning task. These factors seemed most determinative in compromising AR’s effectiveness as a tool to increase student motivation toward English vocabulary learning. It must be stressed that this study is a low subject N exploratory pilot not intended to produce binding generalizations. Nonetheless, these findings should provide useful insights toward the successful application of AR in the educational realm and identify potential causal factors that could form the foundation of future experimental research. The authors recommend further study with a larger number of subjects with a wider range of vocabulary sample and a more powerful viewing device capable of more quickly identifying the trigger images. Keywords: English vocabulary learning, augmented reality, learning motivation, ARCS Model Introduction With the increasing number of Chinese students study in America, Chinese students represent one of the largest groups of international students in the United States. For better adapting to study and life in an English environment, Chinese students need to have a good command of both spoken and written English. Language barriers negatively influence Chinese students to develop their full potential not only on campus, but also in the more fiercely competitive society at large. In order to get better involved in American student life and to prepare for the engineering career market of the future, improving these students’ English clearly seems a critical subject for the Chinese student in the U.S. Learning vocabulary is the most foundational block and first step in learning English as a second language, since no language acquisition and application can take place without the accumulation of vocabulary 26. Research has shown however that the problem of learning vocabulary was the Page 24.85.2 Page biggest obstacle for second language learners to overcome 32. Therefore, how to improve students’ performance on vocabulary learning is a critical issue for both learners and educators. The significance of motivation as a contributing factor in second language acquisition has been widely studied 15, 8, 10. Studies have shown that motivation as the force that initiates and directs behavior had a direct influence on students’ learning performance 7. Argument Reality (AR) has been used in the education area 22, 17, 24, 31 because it enhances our sensory information with virtual information superimposed on top of real world information by digital means 1. However the potential of AR as a motivation-stimulated factor in language learning and vocabulary learning remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was to explore how AR might affect student motivation for vocabulary learning. An exploratory pilot study of a freely available augmented reality English vocabulary learning application was conducted to assess AR’s influence on students’ learning motivation. Semi- structured interviews were used for gathering assessment data. By analyzing the gathered qualitative data within the framework of the ARCS Model, our results suggest that AR may help with student motivation toward the beginning of the application session, but tended to decrease toward the end of the session. Several potential motivational issues were identified, as well as important technical issues. Literature review The role of motivation in English learning Increasing student motivation toward learning a new language has long been a goal of teachers due to the role of motivation as a significant factor in improved academic performance 29. Educational research in different countries has sought to find teaching strategies to facilitate meaningful and attractive learning experiences for students learning English as a second language 12, 21, 23. Previous research has shown that motivation is significantly different depending on educational level with age and therefore it is necessary to choose different approaches to motivating students of different ages 30. At higher educational levels such as college students, the more self-directed and problem-oriented is their learning style thus presenting challenges in increasing their learning motivation 12. Moreover, for international college students who have already learned a different language, developing new pronunciation habits is not as easy as when they were children. Chinese students, as one of the most fast- growing English learning groups, has already reached almost 235,000 according to the report of international college students enrolled in the U.S during the 2012-2013 school year 13. However, the current situation of English learning, specifically vocabulary learning, is not optimistic, according to the study of Liu 26. A lack of systematic research in vocabulary learning, a passive way of learning vocabulary, and a lack of motivation contribute to students’ diminished competence in actual use of English. As such, discovering more efficient means of motivating Chinese college students’ English learning is highly important. Previous research on increasing learning motivation indicated that the use of multimedia can exert a positive influence. Eight principles were proposed by Gilakjani 11 to better design a multimedia learning system. They are as follows: (1) Pictures are more effective than words alone, Page 24.85.3 Page (2) Absorb the learner attention is important, (3) Redundant information should be excluded from the presentation of multimedia contents, (4) User control and interaction are better, (5) Helping students recall or acquire knowledge structures before exposure to multimedia content, (6) Animation can improve learning, (7) Multimedia is more effective when engaging users, (8) Let learners apply their newly acquired knowledge and receive feedback. This study also pointed out that effectively using multimedia is not only putting multiple media together, but combining them in a meaningful way that utilizes the characteristics of each individual medium to their best. Rationale for AR in education Augmented Reality (AR) has aroused much attention in the educational area due to several aspects of the technology that might positively influence students’ learning process. These aspects are: to provide a novel context with which to engage students 22, to facilitate the collaboration between instructor and students 17 and to enhance students’ spatial ability through direct interaction with 3D

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