NatureCollections: Can A Mobile Application Trigger Children’s Interest In Nature?

This study explored whether a mobile app called NatureCollections can help spark children’s interest in nature. The app was designed to let kids create their own personalized photo collections of natural things they discover. To test how well it works, researchers ran a study in an urban community garden with 57 sixth graders from four science classes. Two classes used the NatureCollections app, and the other two used a simple Camera app.

Researchers found that NatureCollections helped students pay closer attention to the natural world around them. Students using the app moved more slowly and carefully through the garden, looking closely for specific natural features — like flowers or birds — to photograph. Students using the regular Camera app were more focused on taking pictures of interesting colors or shapes and explored more through their screens than through direct observation.

The NatureCollections app also supported other important parts of developing interest, such as helping students feel personally connected to what they were observing, encouraging social interactions, and creating positive experiences that can motivate future engagement with nature. It even helped students talk more with each other about what they were noticing in scientific ways.

Overall, the study suggests that the NatureCollections app can be a useful tool for helping children notice, enjoy, and learn from the natural world around them.

Abstract

In this study, we investigate whether and how a mobile application called NatureCollections supports children’s triggered situational interest in nature. Developed from an interest-centered design framework, NatureCollections allows children to build and curate their own customized photo collections of nature. We conducted a comparison study at an urban community garden with 57 sixth graders across 4 science classrooms. Students in two classrooms (n = 15 and 16) used the NatureCollections app, and students in another two classrooms (n = 13 and 13) used a basic Camera app. We found that NatureCollections succeeded in focusing students’ attention–an important aspect of interest development– through sensory engagement with the natural characteristics in their surroundings. Students who used NatureCollections moved slower in space while scanning their surroundings for specific elements (e.g., flowers, birds) to photograph. In contrast, students who used the basic Camera app were more drawn to aesthetic aspects (e.g., color, shape) and tended to explore their surroundings through the device screen. NatureCollections supported other dimensions of interest development, including personal relevance, social interactions, and positive experiences for continued engagement. Our findings further showed that the NatureCollections app facilitated students’ scientific discourse with their peers.