Research & Development
Agents was created after the launch of a prototype and the initiation of research to assess the effectiveness of the platform.
Are most children kinesthetic learners? An early study by Dunn and Dunn (1978) found that 20-30% of school-age children are auditory learners, 40% visual learners, and 30-40% are tactile/kinesthetic learners. Agents of Discovery was created to cater to children that learn in diverse ways.
Comparing AR Gaming with more Traditional Educational Methods
A research study was undertaken this spring in partnership with The Corps Network, The US Fish and Wildlife Service, Agents of Discovery, and the West Virginia University to compare student learning outcomes and connection to place through three environmental education and interpretive field trip modalities: traditional guided walks, self-guided walks utilizing brochures and signs, and mobile education through the Agents of Discovery app. Approximately 800 Prince George County Public School students in Grades 4-6 participated in field trips to Patuxent Research Refuge.
The study showed the value of guided tours at public sites, but it also shows that technology can be a great asset to outdoor learning:
“Rather than worry that technology could have only a negative impact—either being unable to deliver hoped-for outcomes, being a distraction, or simply be “too much fun”—it appears well planned digital apps delivered in public settings can achieve conservation learning outcomes, and even provide a means to increase a connection to nature. These findings should mitigate worries from both sides of the technology and nature divide— multiple pathways to good conservation outcomes exist.”
— Dr. David Smaldone, Associate Professor Emeritus, West Virginia University
Using Mobile Technology to Engage Children With Nature
This study involving over 700 children suggests technology can be used to promote engagement with nature and increase children’s enjoyment when experiencing local parks and surroundings. Children in all three groups covered by the study experienced positive effects from the use of place-based education to connect children to the local environment.
See this peer-reviewed article in the academic journal Environment & Behavior by Maxine R. Crawford et al.
Source: Crawford et al., 2017
Research Conducted by the University of Calgary
See the efficacy of the Agents of Discovery platform in schools in Southern California in this article:
Cellphone vs Smartphone Usage in the U.S.
Discover patterns and trends that have shaped the mobile revolution!
The Upward Trend in App Size of Top Games
Read more about the recent increase in size across the U.S. App Stores’ biggest games.