How can digital teaching aids for primary schools be designed in ways that students readily accept while also maximizing educational value?
This project explores the idea that successful digital learning tools can draw on the kinds of experiences that engage students in their free time, particularly through playful interaction. To test this hypothesis, a minimum viable product (MVP) was developed and evaluated.
By making abstract concepts interactively explorable, such as spatial understanding, Virtual Reality (VR) can deepen students’ engagement with learning content.
The prototype presents a virtual 3D model of Zurich’s tallest building, the Prime Tower (126 m), a familiar landmark for many students. It also includes models of the Great Pyramid of Giza (138 m), the Eiffel Tower (324 m), and the Burj Khalifa (828 m), currently the tallest building in the world.
Rather than distracting from learning, well-designed digital teaching aids may foster curiosity and engagement so effectively that students become, in a sense, «addicted to learning».