Reflections on Students’ Projects with Motion Sensor Technologies in a Problem-Based Learning Environment

Game-based learning (GBL) has been applied in many fields to enhance learning motivations. In recent years, motion sensor technologies have been also introduced in GBL with the aim of using active, physical modalities to facilitate the learning process, while fostering social development and collaboration (when these activities involve more than one student at a time). The approaches described in literature, which used motion sensors in GBL, cover a broad spectrum of educational fields. These approaches investigated the effect of learning games using motion sensors on the development of specific skills or on the learning experience. This paper presents our experiences on the educational use of motion sensor technologies. Our research was conducted at the department of Medialogy in Aalborg University Copenhagen. Aalborg University applies a problem-based, project-organized model of teaching and learning in all its programs. Our approach differs from the aforementioned ones, since we did not develop learning games for students, but we provided students with motion sensors and asked them to use them for their semester projects. Since Medialogy is an interdisciplinary program that combines technology and creativity, our goal was to twofold: firstly, we wanted to observe if and how the introduction of such technologies facilitates the development of students’ technical skills. Secondly, we wanted to investigate how this introduction affects the students’ creativity. In order to answer these questions, we are presenting and discussing students’ projects that used motor sensors. Our results show that the experimentation with motor sensor technologies boosted students’ creativity. Students developed computer games, serious games, computer vision applications and investigated new ways of controlling games and applications. Nevertheless, the introduction of these technologies impeded development of technical skills, since such technologies come along with tools and interfaces that facilitate the development of applications to such extent that the students can produce sophisticated applications without much effort and deep understanding to the technical aspects. Therefore, we conclude that motion sensor technologies can be used to engage students (also in lower levels of education) in creative and research-based learning. However, if the development of technical skills is considered also important during learning, there should be strict requirements on how students should use such technologies.