Towards Enhancing Children's Science Education using Augmented Reality and Computer Vision

Today's technological advancements in mobile technologies and the growing number of mobile devices are extremely beneficial in the mobile learning process. This study is a work in progress that discusses the possibilities of integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and computer vision (CV) into science education which uses deep learning to detect animals in real-time and teach children to classify animals, and learn about their habitat, sound, and important facts. In this study, the Design Science Research (DSR) is used which is a pragmatic approach to creating substantial knowledge for problem-solving through the development of artifacts. The mobile application - AnimalCircle - was developed following the DSR method, and initial users' study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of the use of AR and CV in mobile learning on children's science education and if it can enhance children learning experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with children studying at primary level class in Kathmandu district of Nepal between the age groups of 6–12. The findings show that children are positive toward usage of AnimalCircle app in their learning process because they find it beneficial and effective in their learning. However, most children also found it difficult and complained of getting confused during their initial usage. Therefore, significant efforts are required to improve the usage of these technologies in the mobile app and to provide a child-friendly learning experience.