This study aimed to investigate the effects of narrative exploration design in mobile augmented reality (AR) cultural heritage applications on user emotional arousal, motivation, cognitive load, and learning outcomes compared to regular AR interaction design. Two versions of AR applications (narrative AR and non-narrative AR) were developed based on the Shenyang Palace Museum. A between-subjects experiment was employed with 60 participants, measuring their user emotion arousal, intrinsic motivation, cognitive load, user experience, and learning outcomes using standardized instruments. Data were analyzed using t-tests and MANOVA. The results indicated that the narrative AR design significantly enhanced user engagement, intrinsic motivation, overall user experience, and learning outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating narrative elements into AR applications to create more immersive and effective educational tools. By embedding cultural heritage content within engaging narratives, developers and cultural institutions can offer users a dynamic and enriched experience, thereby enhancing the educational impact.

This study investigates how font size (FS) and line spacing (LS) in online educational apps affect children’s readability, reading speed, learning efficacy, and visual fatigue. A total of 161 children participated in eye-tracking and subjective evaluations. Using ANOVA and correlation analysis, the results show that FS 14px and LS 1.5 are optimal for learning. The study highlights key interface design principles for enhancing human-computer interaction in children’s online education.

Virtual reality (VR) technology is widely used in the field of education and cultural heritage learning. However, few studies have focused on the impact on creativity regarding the use of different interaction modalities by users in cultural heritage learning. Furthermore, it is controversial whether VR can enhance user experience and learning outcomes. The study utilized a mixed research approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods, where qualitative data was collected using open-ended interviews, simultaneously quantitative data was collected using learning outcomes, intrinsic motivation, workload, self-report of creativity and expert assessments of creativity. A mixed research approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods was used; creativity self-reports were used to collect qualitative data, and learning outcomes, intrinsic motivation, and workload data were collected for the quantitative findings.90 university students were randomly assigned to the text group (TG), the video group (VG), and the immersive virtual reality group (IVRG), with 30 students in each group. The study assessed whether creativity, user experience and learning outcomes differed when using different interaction modalities in a cultural heritage context. The results demonstrated that the text interaction modality outperformed the other two groups in learning outcomes and expert assessments of creativity performance, while the IVRG performed better in self-report of creativity and user experience. In addition, participants in TG had higher workloads and poorer user experiences compared to the other two interaction modalities. This study encourages that different interaction modalities should be selected more appropriately depending on the purpose. The study found that interaction modalities creativity can be applied to digital cultural heritage and education and informs interaction design for the HCI community.

Interactive digital exhibits (IDEs) in science museums are widely used to improve visitor engagement. The human–computer interaction characteristics of such exhibits play a key role in holding the attention of visitors, especially children. To determine these characteristics of IDEs and their effects on child engagement, 60 representative digital exhibits in two science museums were selected and analyzed, and eight characteristics were identified and scored. The holding time of the children was measured at each exhibit, and the average holding time (AHT) across exhibits was calculated. Then, the correlations between the IDE characteristics and engagement levels of the children were evaluated. The results show that three characteristics, namely, competition, social interaction, and visitor control, of IDEs have important effects on child engagement. The reasons for these results were also analyzed, and design considerations and principles for IDEs were identified.

Abstract Museum web interfaces continue to be important in how users search for information and navigate through digital cultural heritage resources. A generous interface was deemed appropriate for displaying large amounts of digital cultural heritage. However, more example verification is required in this field of study. This study compared the traditional interface and the generous interface of the Liaoning Provincial Museum to investigate the role of a generous interface for cultural heritage collections. Forty second‐year design graduate students were randomly assigned to one of two interface groups: traditional interface or generous interface. Four variables were measured to compare the differences between the two interfaces for the participants. In addition, two parameters, holding time and average retrieval time, are recorded and used to evaluate and compare the impact of the two interfaces on user behavior. The generous interface, according to the findings, is more effective than the traditional interface in increasing participants' engagement with cultural heritage and is perceived to be more aesthetically pleasing. In addition, the generous interface has been proven to be more suitable for casual leisure users to explore cultural heritage information. This research provides the basis and reference for developing the web interface of cultural heritage collections.

Abstract This study explores a game model that uses scaffolding to learn about cultural heritage based on adventure games. A case study using traditional Chinese murals tested the effectiveness of serious games in improving learning performance and knowledge acquisition. This study observed and evaluated the learning outcomes of 64 students by using serious game learning compared to traditional video learning in an experimental setting. Changes in knowledge acquisition, intrinsic motivation, cognitive load (extrinsic load vs. germane load), and engagement were collected through a series of tests and scales. Experimental results show that digital adventure games have better learning performance and knowledge retention effects, higher intrinsic motivation, germane load, and engagement than traditional video learning. The reasons affecting academic performance were analyzed from the data, and it was found that intrinsic motivation and germane cognitive load positively affected game performance, and external cognitive load hurt game performance. This study provides experience on the design of serious games in cultural heritage learning.

Abstract In this study, we investigate the role of mid‐air gesture‐based interaction technologies in cultural heritage learning. In an experiment, a mid‐air gesture‐based interactive media for Chinese Song Dynasty traditional paintingRuihetu was developed and validated. Participants tested three experimental conditions: video learning only; interactive experience first, then video learning; and video learning first, then interactive experience. According to the research results, the outcomes of participants' learning of this cultural heritage differed significantly across all three experimental conditions. This study's findings offer insights into cultural learning of Chinese traditional painting in museums using mid‐air gesture‐based technology, specifically that video learning exhibits should be combined with and preceded by multimedia interactive exhibits for improved memory and understanding.