Abstract:

Technology enhanced learning has a positive effect on children, as it increases children’s motivation to learn as well as the learning performance. STEM subjects are not among the most appreciated topics to be studied by children from marginalized communities. This paper presents a case study that investigated the learning experience of school-aged children who live in areas of urban disadvantage when STEM education was provided through the NEWTON technologies such as computer-based educational games, Virtual Reality and Virtual Labs.

The case study was carried out in the context of a STEM education program implemented in a number of urban disadvantaged area public schools in North Dublin, Ireland. The project funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020, aimed to improve primary school children technology enhanced STEM education for children from disadvantaged areas. The purpose was also to provide learning activities through Virtual Lab to children from Dockland area in Dublin who had limited opportunities to attend such activities and education in their schools and at home.

The STEM education program was conducted at National College of Ireland as a one-day event. Children used the following STEM oriented educational games developed as part of the NEWTON project:
• Wildlife game application that focuses on teaching about a set of terrestrial animals, such as deer, brown bear, lynx, wolf, wild boar, fox, hare and moose; Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality technologies were used as part of the application
• Final Frontier application is an educational immersive game that teaches different aspects related to the Solar System such as the rocky planets, the giant gas planets, and an astronomical object such as the Moon.

The impact of technology enhanced learning on children attitude towards both STEM and computer-based learning management system and applications were assessed through questionnaires answered by the students

Students from three different schools located in the Dublin’s Docklands area, Ireland, participated in this case study. 128 students participated in this case study comprising of 66% boys and 34% girls. 88% of total participants fall in age group of 10-12 years old. Students learned about Astronomy and Biosphere by making use of two NEWTON applications such Final Frontier and Wildlife.

The case study showed that a large majority of participants reported a positive learning experience through the NEWTON applications. They also reported that they enjoyed learning by making use of the NEWTON technologies. Most of the participants indicated that they would like to use more technology in the classroom when they learn STEM topics. Majority of students had high reaction to NEWTON technologies, they found NEWTON applications interesting, easy to use and a transformative teaching learning experience.
The analysis suggests that the participants prefer the incorporation of computer-based learning in STEM subjects as a better methodology for teaching and learning.

Keywords:

Technology-enhanced Learning, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Virtual Teaching, support for children from marginalised communities.