AR game for learning waste recycling

Recycling education is crucial for promoting environmental awareness from a young age, which is why the Malaysian Ministry of Education introduced it in schools. However, current methods are not engaging enough to capture students’ attention. A preliminary study at Sekolah Kebangsaan Merlimau 1 showed limited student participation due to unengaging programs and limited time. To address this, an Augmented Reality Game-Based Learning application was developed, allowing students to learn about recycling anytime and anywhere. Using the ADDIE methodology and marker-based via Vuforia in Unity, the game included incentives, personalised agents, and navigation tools to enhance motivation and knowledge retention. An evaluation with 30 students aged 7 to 12 using the Game Engagement Questionnaire resulted in an overall mean score of (2.14), indicating moderate engagement. Results show improved immersion and presence, with room to enhance absorption and flow. Future plans include multilingual support, progress tracking, and markerless Augmented Reality.