Motivating children to learn is a major challenge in education. One way to inspire motivation to learn is through immersion. We combine the immersive potential of augmented reality (AR), narrative, and large language models (LLMs) to bridge fantasy with reality in a mobile application, Moon Story, that teaches elementary schoolers astronomy and environmental science. Our system also builds upon learning theories such as culturally-relevant pedagogy. Using our application, a child embarks on a journey inspired by Chinese mythology, engages in real-world AR activities, and converses with a fictional character powered by an LLM. We conducted a controlled experiment (N = 50) with two conditions: one using an LLM and one that was hard-coded. Both conditions resulted in learning gains, high engagement levels, and increased science learning motivation. Participants in the LLM condition also wrote more relevant answers. Finally, participants of both Chinese and non-Chinese heritage found the culturally-based narrative compelling.

As enrollments in computing-related programs continue to rise, computer science departments are increasingly relying on teaching assistants (TAs) to provide additional educational support to students, such as one-on-one tutoring or office hours. Tutoring is more effective with highly trained tutors, but most TAs receive little to no training in pedagogical skills. How might we provide support to TAs working with students one-on-one, especially in online settings? We propose a just-in-time intervention that shows a tutor actionable teaching tips and relevant information right before they begin an online tutoring session with a student. We conducted a crossover experiment (n = 46) where participants engaged in two tutoring roleplays for an introductory computer science programming task and found that participants demonstrated effective instructional strategies for much longer periods of time after receiving the intervention. We discuss the implications of these findings for both educators looking to support tutors and researchers seeking to build technology for tutors.

Outdoor learning experiences, such as field trips, can improve children’s science achievement and engagement, but these experiences are often difficult to deliver without extensive support. Narrative in educational experiences can provide needed structure, while also increasing engagement. We created a narrative-based, mobile application to investigate how to guide young learners in interacting with their local, outdoor environment. In a second variant, we added augmented reality and image classification to explore the value of these features. A study (n = 44) found that participants using our system demonstrated learning gains and found the experience engaging. Our findings identified several major themes, including participant excitement for hands-on interactions with nature, curiosity about the characters, and enthusiasm toward typing their thoughts and observations. We offer a set of design implications for supporting narrative-based, outdoor learning with immersive technology.