Can Mobile Apps Be Used to Improve Queer History Education? An Investigation of Learning and Emotions

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: Mobile Applications for Enhancing Learning

Abstract

Little research has been conducted investigating the relationship between learning and emotions with mobile apps. We examined whether undergraduate students learned significantly more about queer history when using a queer history mobile app than playing a game (control). We also examined whether emotions significantly differed between conditions and if emotions predicted learning gains. The main results of this study that examined 114 undergraduate students at a North American university were the following: (1) Students randomly assigned to the app condition learned significantly more than those assigned to the control condition. (2) Students assigned to the app condition reported higher levels of enjoyment and lower levels of boredom, frustration, and anxiety. (3) And enjoyment and anxiety were significant predictors of learning.

Authors

• Jason Matthew Harley, McGill University

• Byunghoon Tony Ahn, McGill University

• Yang Liu, University of Alberta