Volume 17, Number 4

Assessing E-Learning Content Curation and Crafting for Science Education: A Mixed Research Driven Cross-Case Analysis

  Authors

Rita Sinha ¹, Bhairab Sarma ¹ and Dhruba Jyoti Borah ², ¹ University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, India, ² Majuli University of Culture, India

  Abstract

The exponential rise in advanced software technologies, low-cost hardware, and internet connectivity has broadened the horizon for academia and industries to provide decentralized e-learning solutions along with hybrid classroom culture, making science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education more engaging, interactive, and productive. Among the major innovations, gamified learning and augmented reality (AR) techniques have played a decisive role in creating intrinsically motivated, enjoyable, socially improved, and productive learning environments. However, their efficacy across different streams and standards remains debatable, since STEM students demand tools that are not only interactive and autonomous but also optimally designed in terms of content, depth, scalability, and cognitive ease. To address this gap, the present research investigates the intrinsic motivating factors that encourage STEM students to employ such tools, and the extent to which these expectations are met by existing solutions. A mixed-research paradigm driven cross-case analysis method was adopted. First, a quantitative empirical study was conducted to identify STEM students’ specific expectations from elearning tools. Subsequently, cross-case analysis was applied to evaluate whether, and to what extent, existing VR, AR, and gamified learning solutions satisfy these expectations. The findings reveal that despite significant efforts, current solutions often fail to ensure critical features such as autonomous and interactive learning, cognitive-driven reuse and re-evaluation, behaviour-sensitive intelligent content delivery, and adaptive task recommendation. These shortcomings highlight the need for more optimally designed systems. This study suggests that by assuring these features, gamified learning and AR/VR technologies can become more interesting, engaging, and effective in STEM education. Such advancements can further enhance longer memory retention, problem-solving abilities, and concept building capacities in students, thereby strengthening the overall quality of learning outcomes.

  Keywords

Virtual learning environment, Science education, Gamified learning, Augmented reality.