Ocean World: Marine Animal Mobile Application for Children?s Learning Based on Augmented Reality

Farah Hanim Abdul Hadi, Azana Hafizah Mohd Aman
dx.doi.org/10.17576/apjitm-2025-1401-05

Abstract

Seventy percent of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans, therefore knowledge about marine life is important, not only for scientific knowledge but also for instilling environmental awareness from a young age. Hence, early education on marine animals for children is highly important for them to recognize and comprehend marine life. However, in this technological era, children tend to feel bored when using traditional learning methods based on reading from books, instead they are more interested in interactive approaches. Additionally, children enjoy observing and interacting with marine animals, but the creatures and phenomena in the ocean can be dangerous to approach. Furthermore, a lack of early instilled concern for marine animals in society has led to increased ocean pollution, posing a threat to life in the seas. This critical issue not only hinders marine animal education for children but also poses a threat to marine ecosystems, raising concerns about the future biodiversity of the oceans. To address these issues, this thesis proposes the development of a mobile application that utilizes Augmented Reality (AR) technology to display 3D visuals of marine animals along with additional information, providing an interactive and engaging learning experience for children. This application allows them to explore and identify various marine animals. To develop this application, Agile methodology is chosen for its rapid and iterative approach, ensuring a seamless combination of creativity and functionality within a short timeframe. The application comprises four main modules which are marine animal information, 3D marine animal based on AR, marine animal learning video based on AR and two quizzes, aimed at enhancing children's critical thinking skills. The cheerful user interface, tailored especially for children, along with interesting modules, is expected to provide an optimal and effective user experience. Usability testing involving end users was conducted by observing them using the application to analyze user satisfaction and the application's usability. Observations of 5 children were collected through an application observation checklist form. This form was carefully analyzed using the mean score of the usability test, and the results indicated the application's usability was on a positive scale.

keyword

Sea animal, children?s education, augmented reality

Area

Multimedia and Usability