TaBooGa: A Hybrid Learning App to Support Children's Reading Motivation

Abstract

In this paper we present TaBooGa (Tangible Book Game), a hybrid learning application we developed to increase children's reading motivation. As children are exposed to digital devices early on (e.g., smart phones and tablets) weak readers are particularly apt to prefer digital offers over reading traditional books. Prior work has shown that ebooks can partially address this challenge by making reading more compelling for children. In this work we show that augmenting ebooks with tangible elements can further increase the reading motivation. In particular, we embed tangible elements that allow for navigating through the book as well as in the form of mini-games that interlace the reading task. We report on the results of an evaluation among 22 primary school pupils, comparing the influence of the approach on both strong and weak readers. Our results show a positive influence beyond reading motivation on both weak and strong readers. Yet, the approach requires to strive a balance between the tangible elements being motivating while at the same time not being too distracting.