Geography learning holds immense potential for expanding children's perspectives and nurturing their spatial thinking abilities. In the digital age, educators explore innovative ways, namely AR, TUI and Tangible AR (TAR), to enhance students’ geography learning. Tangible Augmented Reality (TAR) emerges as a promising approach, promoting realism, immersion, and enhanced user experiences.
We designed and developed PixelMap, an innovative educational TAR system, to enhance children’s geography learning experiences.
The system comprises:
(1) tangible 3D blocks embodying geographical knowledge, such as different terrains, outlines, river locations, and other geographic entities;
(2) an AR interface based on mobile devices representing geographic details and interactive visualizations, such as animals and flora.
We conducted the summative user study with 13 children and three teachers to evaluate PixelMap's effectiveness in assisting children's geographical knowledge learning and enhancing their engagement.
The results demonstrate that TAR creates an effective and enjoyable learning platform, promoting children's acquisition of multi-scale geographical knowledge and enhancing spatial cognitive development, all while encouraging social interaction and engagement.
