Do Usability Design Features of a Mobile Game Influence Learning?

Abstract

This one-group pretest-posttest experimental design study presents the effects of mobile games on students' disaster response learning. It also determines which of the usability features of the game might influence learning of students. Ninety-eight students utilized the game for three consecutive days (i.e., the intervention period). Students learn significantly in terms of responding to fire, flood, tsunami, and volcanic eruption but not on storm and earthquake situations. The game did not contribute significantly to the knowledge of the students on storms since students are already attuned to storms. Students did not achieve significant learning gains in earthquake test items because earthquake drills were conducted in local, institutional, and national levels before the study was initiated. Aesthetics was the only usability design factor that can influence learning. Thus, the null hypothesis stating that the usability design factors do not influence students learning was partially rejected. Recommendations were also offered.