Papers by Robin M. Thompson
International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 2016
Mobile gaming has become immensely popular with the growing ease of access and the variety of ine... more Mobile gaming has become immensely popular with the growing ease of access and the variety of inexpensive options now being offered. Pokémon Go, a cellular phone game that combines augmented reality (AR) and global positioning system (GPS) location to catch digital characters in the real world, is a free download that has broken participation records with its popularity. This article briefly reviews the evolution of mobile gaming and AR and then highlights the recent popularity and potential physical activity and recreational benefits of Pokémon Go. Moreover, this article also details how a Pokémon Go event was successfully hosted at Winthrop University by the Office of Recreational Services. In order to encourage more movement and social interaction, activity stations were integrated into the event that participants were able to complete for incentive prizes. A survey was completed after the event by the participants who returned to the starting point after visiting all four available stations. Survey results captured participants' perceived positives and negatives to playing Pokémon Go, their motivation for attending and overall opinion of the event, and their distance traveled during the event. Pokémon Go is an AR game that can be used to encourage recreation and movement. AR can provide many benefits and incentives when utilized in various technologies and curriculums. This article may assist recreation and physical activity leaders in creating events which integrate physical activity through mobile technology in a fun, unique way.
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Papers by Robin M. Thompson