Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The WearableLearning Platform: A Computational Thinking Tool Supporting Game Design and Active Play

  • Original research
  • Published:
Technology, Knowledge and Learning Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This emerging technology report introduces the WearableLearning (WL) platform as a tool to exercise computational thinking and STEM learning for 5-12th grade students through mobile technology-augmented active game play and game creation. Freely available at WearableLearning.org, it allows students and teachers to play, create, debug, and manage multiplayer, active games. To date, WearableLearning has been used in schools and afterschool programs by roughly 500 students and 25 teachers to create games covering STEM curricular content. WearableLearning enables the creation of physically active and social games, while offering possibilities for research on computational thinking, embodied cognition, collaborative learning, game-based learning, and practical applications of technology in STEM classrooms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable.

Notes

  1. For instance, in some forms of “scavenger hunt”, it might not be desirable that all players look for the same object at the same time, but different ones.

References

  • Agbaji, E. (2019). Improving math learning with embodied game-based mobile and wearable technologies (Unpublished master's thesis). Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

  • Adams, J. C., & Pruim, R. J. (2012). Computing for STEM majors: enhancing non CS majors' computing skills. In Proceedings of the 43rd ACM technical symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 457–462).

  • Arroyo, I., Micciollo, M., Casano, J., Ottmar, E., Hulse, T., & Rodrigo, M. (2017). Wearable learning: Multiplayer embodied games for math. In Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (CHI PLAY '17). ACM, pp. 205–216.

  • Arroyo, I., Castro, F., Smith, H., Harrison Closser, A., Ottmar, E. (2021) Augmenting Embodied Mathematics Classrooms with Mobile Tutors. Proceedings of the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting.

  • Castro, F., Closser, A. H., Smith, G., Smith, H., Rasul, I., Arroyo, I., & Perez, L. (under review). Defining a computational thinking framework within the WearableLearning platform and curriculum. Manuscript under review.

  • Daily, S. B., Leonard, A. E., Jörg, S., Babu, S., Gundersen, K., & Parmar, D. (2015). Embodying computational thinking: Initial design of an emerging technological learning tool. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 20(1), 79–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Addressing first-and second-order barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 47–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grover, S., & Pea, R. (2018). Computational Thinking: A Competency Whose Time Has Come. In S. Sentance, E. Barendsen, & C. Schulte (Eds.), Computer Science Education: Perspectives on Teaching and Learning in School (pp. 19–38). Bloomsbury Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, A., Hulse, T., Manzo, D., Micciolo, M., Ottmar, E., & Arroyo, I. (2018). Computational thinking through game creation in STEM classrooms. Proceedings (Part II) of the 19th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. pp. 134–138.

  • Hartmann, W., Nievergelt, J., & Reichert, R. (2001). Kara, finite state machines, and the case for programming as part of general education. In: Proceedings IEEE Symposia on Human-Centric Computing Languages and Environments, 135–141. https://doi.org/10.1109/HCC.2001.995251

  • Hopcroft, J. E., & Ullman, J. D. (1979). Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0-201-02988-8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howard, N. R. (2019). EdTech Leaders’ Beliefs: How are K-5 teachers supported with the integration of computer science in K-5 classrooms? Technology, Knowledge, and Learning, 24, 203–217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-018-9371-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howison, M., Trninic, D., Reinholz, D., & Abrahamson, D. (2011). The Mathematical Imagery Trainer: from embodied interaction to conceptual learning. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1989–1998).

  • Johnson, K., Pavleas, J., & Chang, J. (2013). Kinecting to mathematics through embodied interactions. Computer, 46(10), 101–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafai, Y., & Burke, Q. (2014). Connected Code: Why Children Need to Learn Programming. The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt9qf8rk

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kodable (2021) http://www.kodable.com/. Last accessed January 2022.

  • Maloney, J., Resnick, M., Rusk, N., Silverman, B., & Eastmond, E. (2010). The Scratch Programming Language and Environment. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 10(4), 6. https://doi.org/10.1145/1868358.1868363

  • Margolis, J. (2008). Stuck in the Shallow End: Education. MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Micciolo, M. (2018). Designing a visual programming language for the creation of multiplayer embodied games (Unpublished master's thesis). Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

  • Román-González, Marcos. (2015). Computational Thinking Test: Design Guidelines and Content Validation. Proceedings of the EDULEARN15 Conference. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4203.4329

  • Schulte, C., Hornung, M., Sentance, S., Dagiene, V., Jevsikova, T., Thota, N., ... & Peters, A. K. (2012). Computer science at school/CS teacher education: Koli working-group report on CS at school. In Proceedings of the 12th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research (pp. 29–38).

  • Smith, M. (2016). Computer Science for All. Archives of the White House of President Barak Obama. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/01/30/computer-science-all Retrieved March 23, 2020.

  • Smith, H., Closser, A. H., Ottmar, E., & Arroyo, I. (2020). Developing math knowledge and computational thinking through game play and design: A professional development program. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 20(4), 660–686.

  • Sung, W., Ahn, J., & Black, J. B. (2017). Introducing computational thinking to young learners: Practicing computational perspectives through embodiment in mathematics education. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 22(3), 443–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, C. C., & Chai, C. S. (2012). The "third"-order barrier for technology-integration instruction: Implications for teacher education. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 28, 1057–1060. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.810.

  • Tynker (2021) https://www.tynker.com/ Last accessed January 2022.

  • Weintrop, D., Beheshti, E., Horn, M., Orton, K., Jona, K., Trouille, L., & Wilenski, U. (2016). Defining computational thinking for mathematics and science classrooms. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 25, 127–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wing, J. (2014). Computational Thinking Benefits Society. Social Issues in Computing. http://socialissues.cs.toronto.edu. Retrieved February 4, 2022.

  • Yildiz Durak, H. (2020). The effects of using different tools in programming teaching of secondary school students on engagement, computational thinking and reflective thinking skills for problem solving. Technology, Knowledge, and Learning, 25, 179–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-018-9391-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. IIS-2041785 and IIS-2026722. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Massachusetts Amherst (Computer Science), Amherst, MA, USA

    Ivon Arroyo & Francisco Castro

  2. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Social Science & Policy Studies), Worcester, MA, USA

    Avery Harrison Closser, Hannah Smith, Erin Ottmar & Matthew Micciolo

Authors
  1. Ivon Arroyo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Avery Harrison Closser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francisco Castro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hannah Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Erin Ottmar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Matthew Micciolo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ivon Arroyo.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interests

There are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Arroyo, I., Closser, A.H., Castro, F. et al. The WearableLearning Platform: A Computational Thinking Tool Supporting Game Design and Active Play. Tech Know Learn 28, 1815–1824 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-022-09601-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-022-09601-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation