Exer-Learning: A New Genre Combines Learning, Exercise and Fun for Children

Abstract The increased burden of school work reduces outdoor exercise of school children, which lead to increased rate of obesity and other health problems. Engaging in both learning activities and physical exercise is essential for the development of children. In this paper, we present a new genre called Exer-Learning especially for children, which combines learning activities with physical exercises in the context of fun games. To exemplify such genre, we design a Playground Game, which integrates physical exercise as a key element in a language learning game. By naturally using location and body movement in the projection area as the way of interaction, the children can learn knowledge and do quizzes in the game. Therefore, they can not only learn knowledge, but also carry out certain physical activities. We conducted a controlled study to understand the optimal design tradeoffs of two elements (level of physical exercise and knowledge provided by the game) under this Exer-Learning genre. Four trade-offs conditions are distinguished and their effects on participants’ exercise benefit, learning efficacy, and fun of the game were examined. Based on the game and participants in this paper, results show that the benefits of exercise and learning are relatively high under the condition of high physical exercise and low knowledge. This trade-off condition leads to good learning effect, as well as good exercise benefit. However, high physical exercise conditions reduce participants’ fun in the learning. How to better combine physical exercise with the fun is a question to be solved in the future.