Embodied interactions and learning have garnered a lot of interest among researchers and game designers in past years, especially with the recent development of consumer-level body sensory devices like the Microsoft Kinect. This study focused on examining whether embodied interactions, enabled by the Kinect, could lead to greater knowledge acquisition compared to traditional mouse-based interactions working with STEM-related (numeric systems) and language-related (Chinese character) learning in a virtual learning environment for adult learners. Embodied cognition, body movements and learning, cognitive processing theories were discussed as a theoretical framework for this study. A 3D virtual learning environment was designed, in which learners could interact with the instructional materials through either their body movements, or a mouse. The study utilized an experimental, two-group, pre- and posttest design. The experimental group used the Kinect-enabled embodied interactions and the control group used the traditional mouse-based interactions during an on-site learning intervention. Fifty-three adult participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. Scores from immediate posttest and delayed posttest between the two groups were compared with ANCOVA using pretest score as the covariate. Statistical results informed that embodied interactions enabled by the Kinect facilitated learning in numeric systems and Chinese characters for the participating adult learners. However, compared with the mouse interaction, the embodied interaction enabled by the Kinect did not lead to significantly better knowledge retention and application results in both immediate posttest and delayed posttest in numeric systems learning. And for Chinese characters learning, compared with the mouse interaction, the embodied interaction enabled by the Kinect did not lead to significantly better knowledge retention results in the immediate posttest either, but achieved significantly better performance in the delayed posttest. The study outcome implies that Kinect-based embodied interactions do not necessarily lead to better learning performances over traditional mouse-based interactions for adult learners. The performances may depend on subject areas, and at what time learners’ knowledge retrieval were evaluated. When designing computer-mediated learning modules, researchers and practitioners should not only look at the new technology and novel approaches to interacting with the computers, but also take the subject areas, learners, and time issues into consideration as well. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / June 23, 2017. / Embodied Interactions, Kinect, Learning / Includes bibliographical references. / Fengfeng Ke, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gordon Erlebacher, University Representative; Valerie J. Shute, Committee Member; Allan C. Jeong, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_552346 |
| Contributors | Xu, Xinhao (authoraut), Ke, Fengfeng (professor directing dissertation), Erlebacher, Gordon, 1957- (university representative), Shute, Valerie J. (Valerie Jean), 1953- (committee member), Jeong, Allan C. (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Education (degree granting college), Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems (degree granting departmentdgg) |
| Publisher | Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text, doctoral thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (111 pages), computer, application/pdf |
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