Zusammenfassung
Computer games seem to have a potential for
engaging students in meaningful learning, inside as well as
outside of school. With the growing availability of mobile
handheld technology (HHT), a number of location-based
games for handheld mobile phones with GPS have been
designed for educational use. The exploitation of this
potential for engaging students into meaningful learning,
however, so far remains unexplored. In an explorative
design research, we investigated whether a location-based
game with HHT provides opportunities for engaging in
mathematical activities through the design of a geometry
game called MobileMath. Its usability and opportunities for
learning were tested in a pilot on three different secondary
schools with 60 12–14-year-old students. Data were gathered by means of participatory observation, online storage
of game data, an online survey and interviews with students
and teachers. The results suggest that students were highly
motivated, and enjoyed playing the game. Students indicated they learned to use the GPS, to read a map and to
construct quadrilaterals. The study suggests learning
opportunities that MobileMath provides and that need
further investigation.
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