Collaborative learning with augmented reality and social robots

Abstract

In this dissertation, we explore using the technologies of augmented reality (AR) and social robots to design collaborative learning curricula involving both teachers and students. Specifically, we target the subjects of tornado and cybersecurity in STEM to demonstrate how interactive and collaborative learning curricula would strengthen students’ knowledge and motivate them to pursue careers in the ICT fields. ☐ AR facilitates an interactive experience in a physical environment where the three-dimensional objects existing in the physical world are extended with perceptual digital information. Social robots interact and communicate with people by following social etiquette attached to a specific role. Both AR and social robots facilitate the creation of new interactive pedagogies to increase students’ knowledge through immersive and collaborative learning. ☐ Our first effort designs the Augmented Reality Tornado Application which provides a collaborative curriculum to students in Grade 6. With the AR Tornado Application, the abstract knowledge of tornado is transformed into tangible interactions that students and teachers could configure and manipulate collaboratively. Our experimental results of 22 6th grade students in the Newark Charter School showed significant increase in the learning performance of collaborative learning in peers in comparison to individual learning. ☐ Our second effort designs interactive stories that are programmed on the Zenbo social robot to teach basic cybersecurity concepts, such as password, phishing, and social media privacy, to students in Grades 5 and 6. A pilot study was conducted with 18 students in the College School of the University of Delaware. Results show that students like to interact with Zenbo because of his humorous personality and cute design. ☐ Our third effort designs AR-based activities that make abstract cybersecurity concepts (such as firewall, steganography, and phishing) into tangible and interactive forms to motivate students' interests in the subject of cybersecurity. Specifically, the AR Phishing Application has been programmed on the Unity AR Foundation Framework to enable students to interact with virtual objects through the manipulation of physical objects. The phishing scenarios used in the AR Phishing Application were collected and customized based on popular social media platforms from different countries.