As we all know, the Microsoft Kinect technology can be used for gaming, even educational gaming, but is there really a huge difference between gaming on the Kinect and gaming on your mobile? Apart from the fact that both are different platforms, a recent study conducted by the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University found that gaming on the Kinect was more effective.According to the study, the researchers found that giving children a Kinect and getting them to build block towers proved to be a more effective way of learning, as opposed to merely gaming on an equivalent screen-only experience. The children were given a tablet, a laptop, and real-world objects with a project screen and a Kinect for sensing purposes.
The researchers found that children who used the Kinect to play learned more effectively, like how to build more stable towers. They also found that children enjoyed the game more on the Kinect as well, with one child going as far as to ask one of the researchers, “Can I steal your computer and set this up at home?”
Based on these results, the study concluded by saying that “mixed-reality games that support physical observation in the real world have a great potential to enhance learning and enjoyment for young children.” The researchers are now looking to repeat the study in different educational contexts with hopes that it can improve science learning and enjoyment in kids.