|

Received: 5 January 2021    Accepted: 27 January 2021

DOI: 10.1111/ivb.12321

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Mobile learning applications to improve invertebrate zoology

online teaching

Aida Verdes1,2  | Carlos Navarro3 | Patricia Álvarez-­Campos4

1
Life Sciences Department, The Natural
History Museum, London, UK
2
Departamento de Biodiversidad y
Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de
Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-­C SIC, Madrid,
Spain
3
Departamento de Zoología, Universidad
de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
4 cational levels, the use of mobile learning and cutting-­edge methods can greatly im-
Departamento de Biología, Universidad
Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Correspondence
Patricia Álvarez-­C ampos, Departamento
de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de
Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Email: patricia.alvarez@uam.es
Funding information
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Abstract
The use of new technologies including personal mobile devices has become an in-
dispensable tool in our daily lives, and thus its presence in education is becoming
ever more ubiquitous. In the current scenario imposed by the COVID-­19 pandemic,
in which in-­person presence in classrooms has been enormously reduced at all edu-
prove the way students learn and enhance their online-­learning experience. Mobile
applications, combined with extended reality technologies such as virtual reality (VR)
and augmented reality (AR), are powerful tools that connect real and virtual environ-
ments and allow higher interaction for the user. We have leveraged the advantages
of mobile learning and extended reality technologies to develop a series of mobile
applications and associated educational activities for university-­level courses involv-
ing invertebrate zoology field work. In particular, we have developed (a) a VR SCUBA
diving video to explore the diversity of a marine protected area; (b) an AR mobile app
to visualize 3D models of marine invertebrates; and (c) a mobile-­based catalogue to
explore the terrestrial biodiversity of one of the most diverse regions of Spain. Here
we provide detailed information describing the design and creation of these tools, as
well as their application in class, to facilitate and encourage their use in higher educa-
tion. Despite the relatively recent application of these technologies in education, they
have an enormous potential: they improve student motivation and learning, can be
adapted to different learning styles, reduce social inequalities, and facilitate inclusive-
ness and diversity practices in the classroom.

KEYWORDS
3D models, 360º video, augmented reality, invertebrate zoology, marine biology, mobile apps,
online teaching, virtual field work, virtual reality

1  |  I NTRO D U C TI O N convenient and interactive access to teaching materials (Griffith

Mobile learning is a branch of e-­learning that takes advantage of the
current omnipresence of mobile and touchscreen devices. These
devices offer students additional learning opportunities (Morris
et al., 2016; Pachler, 2010; Vinu et al., 2011) because they provide
Aida Verdes and Patricia Álvarez-­C ampos contributed equally to this work.
et al., 2020). The use of mobile learning in higher education has
greatly increased during the last years, especially in blended learning
contexts that incorporate both online and in-­person teaching (Morris
et al., 2016), and consequently the number of applications available
for students and educators has grown exponentially (Jonas-­Dwyer
et al., 2012; Nami, 2020; Wai et al., 2018). In addition, when the use

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© 2021 The American Microscopical Society     1 of 12
https://doi.org/10.1111/ivb.12321
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2 of 12       VERDES et al.
of mobile and touchscreen devices can be combined with extended
reality technologies, the potential impact on student motivation and
academic success may increase significantly (Billinghurst & Duenser,
2012; Verdes et al., 2019). Currently, virtual reality (VR) and aug-
mented reality (AR) experiences are among the most widely known
extended reality systems and are being increasingly incorporated in
a wide variety of areas, from medicine, to entertainment, to social
networking, and education (Bower et al., 2014; Mihelj et al., 2014;
Shuhaiber, 2004). VR is defined as the computer-­generated simula-
tion of a three-­dimensional image or environment that can be inter-
acted with in a seemingly real way through the use of specialized
electronic equipment (McMillan et al., 2017). Similarly, AR technol-
ogy allows real and virtual objects to coexist in the same space and
to be interacted with in real time (Azuma, 1997). It generates an ex-
tended version of reality by superimposing computer information on
a real image that can be observed through a digital device (McMillan
et al., 2017; Verdes et al., 2019). Currently, both VR and AR can be
easily experienced through the use of mobile and touchscreen de-
vices and therefore, they have been widely incorporated in many in-
stitutions such as museums, making their exhibitions more attractive,
increasing their pedagogic value, and enhancing the visitor experi-
ence (Jung et al., 2016). In higher education in particular, enabling
access to these new technologies through mobile devices has the
potential to revolutionize science teaching and learning (Metz, 2014).
Science is composed of an interconnected network of concepts and
research processes that require educators to integrate scientific
content with the practice of doing science (Crompton et al., 2016).
Although the positive effect of mobile learning is not universal, but
rather context dependent, the evidence of its effectiveness in sup-
porting learning in higher education and laboratory practical courses
is ample (El-­Sofany & El-­Haggar, 2020; Hwang & Chang, 2011).
We have leveraged the advantages of mobile learning and ex-
tended reality technologies to develop a series of mobile applications
and associated educational activities for university-­level courses in-
volving invertebrate zoology laboratory and field work. The mobile
apps and educational activities described here are largely based on
audiovisual material of invertebrate animals initially designed and
created specifically by the authors and collaborators to complement
traditional classroom teaching and field trips, while also stimulat-
ing students’ learning. However, they have also been an extremely
useful tool to improve online teaching during the past months, es-
pecially with the lack of laboratory practical classes and field trips
due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-­19 pandemic. We de-
signed additional activities to be highly interactive and immersive
and assure students’ involvement, providing a more motivating and
engaging online distance-­learning experience. Specifically, we de-
veloped (a) a VR SCUBA diving video to study the biodiversity of
a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and used it as a substitute for the
field trip in a master's level marine conservation course; (b) an AR
mobile app to visualize 3D models of marine invertebrates used to
complement invertebrate zoology laboratory practical teaching in a
bachelor's and a master's level course; and (c) a mobile app that in-
cludes a catalogue of the terrestrial biodiversity of La Vera, Spain,
used in a bachelor's level course to simulate biodiversity monitoring
activities in different habitats.
2  |  M E TH O D S
2.1  |  Design and creation of 360° videos for a VR
SCUBA-­diving experience
Compilation of the audiovisual material to develop the 360° virtual
SCUBA-­diving video was carried out during May 2019 in an ideal
site of the Mediterranean Sea, the Cabo de Gata-­Níjar National Park
(Almería, Spain), where the field trip for the master's level course
Conservation and Management of Marine Biodiversity has been tra-
ditionally held. This National Park and MPA offer unique conditions
for the production of underwater videos from both biological and
technical perspective. On one hand, Cabo de Gata-­Níjar is one of
the most diverse areas of the Spanish coast and the largest stretch
of protected coastline in the country (Hogg et al., 2017). In addition,
the good visibility and underwater luminosity conditions at the site
are crucial to obtain good quality videos in terms of sharpness, depth
of field, and recognition of color patterns in the species observed.
This latter aspect is especially relevant in the aquatic environment
because variation in absorbance of different color wavelengths with
depth may cause color attenuation and distortion. This problem can
be avoided by using artificial lights, but unfortunately this is not fea-
sible when attempting to register general landscapes and biological
communities in a 360° video format. Therefore, to obtain optimal
footage for VR diving videos, recording has to be made in very il-
luminated, shallow and clear-­water areas. These conditions are fre-
quently found in Cabo de Gata-­Níjar MPA, where there is also a great
diversity of habitats such as rocky bottoms with macroalgae, soft
substrates, or seagrass meadows, with a huge variety of associated
invertebrate communities (García-­Raso et al., 1992). Thus, students
who experience the immersive virtual dive in Cabo de Gata-­Níjar
MPA can observe different habitats with high species richness not
found in contiguous and non-­protected areas (García-­Charton et al.,
2004; Hogg et al., 2017; Villamor & Becerro, 2012).
To create the 360° virtual SCUBA diving experience in a MPA
(Figure 1A, B), we chose four of the most emblematic diving sites in
the area, with the highest variety of habitats and species richness:
Cueva del Francés, el Túnel Naranja, La Amatista, and Punta de la
Isleta. We recorded a total of 65 4 K videos of ~3 min each, using
a Ricoh Theta V 360º camera (https://theta​360.com/en/about/​
theta/​v.html) equipped with waterproof housing (Figure 1C). We
evaluated all the footage and selected the most representative and
relevant parts of the videos to create the final movie, which has a
duration of ~7 min. Editing was done with the program Final Cut
Pro (https://www.apple.com/final​
-­
cut-­
p ro/) and the final video
was exported and converted to 360º format with the programs
Handbrake (https://handb​rake.fr) and 360 Video Metadata Tool
(http://vrfix.me/). We have uploaded the final VR SCUBA diving
video to YouTube to guarantee easy access to anyone interested
VERDES et al. |
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F I G U R E 1  Virtual reality SCUBA diving experience in Cabo de Gata-­Níjar MPA. A. Screenshot from YouTube of the 360º virtual diving
video. B. QR code to access to the VR experience. C. Image captured during the recording of the underwater videos with the Ricoh Theta
V 360º camera. D–­F. Example ID cards of different levels used for the biodiversity survey activity. D. Sepia officinalis. E. Pelagia noctiluca. F.
Chondrosia reniformis
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4 of 12       VERDES et al.
using the link (https://bit.ly/35dNrtw) or the QR code provided in
Figure 1B.
In addition, to create a more interactive experience and to pro-
vide an activity with a higher educational value, we created several ID
cards with information about the most common species found at the
Cabo de Gata-­Níjar MPA (Figure 1D–­F). We chose 20 representative
species that can be identified in the video, including marine inver-
tebrates, but also other organisms such as macroalgae or fish, and
divided them into three categories (i.e., easy, medium, and expert) de-
pending on how difficult it is to find them in the VR video (Figure 1D–­
F, Table 1, Supporting Information Figure S1. The cards include data
about the species’ taxonomy, ecology, reproduction, conservation
status, and other interesting facts such as their economic interest
(Figure 1D–­F, Figure S1). We use the cards in an activity in which
groups of students compete to recognize as many organisms as pos-
sible during the VR SCUBA diving experience. During the activity,
identifying "expert"-­level species, which are less common or harder
to spot in the video, gives more points than identifying "easy" species.
2.2  |  Creation of an AR app to visualize 3D
models of invertebrate animals
We generated a series of 3D models of selected marine invertebrates
with the Qlone software (https://www.qlone.pro/) to be used for AR
applications. Using the camera of a smartphone, Qlone allows the
TA B L E 1  Selected species from the ID cards that are used to
identify organisms in the 360° virtual SCUBA diving video in Cabo
de Gata-­Níjar Marine Protected Area, Spain
Level Species
Easy Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile 1813
Jania rubens (Linnaeus) L amouroux 1816
Padina pavonica (Linnaeus) Thivy 1960
Halopteris scoparia (Linnaeus) Sauvageau 1904
Astroides calycularis (Pallas 1766)
Sepia officinalis Linnaeus 1758
Chromis chromis (Linnaeus 1758)
Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus 1758)
Medium Asparagopsis sp.
Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskål 1775)
Echinaster sepositus (Retzius 1783)
Holothuria tubulosa Gmelin 1791
Octopus vulgaris Cuvier 1797
Mullus surmuletus Linnaeus 1758
Expert Chondrosia reniformis Nardo 1847
Myriapora truncata (Pallas 1766)
Thalassoma pavo (Linnaeus 1758)
Coris julis (Linnaeus 1758)
Serranus scriba (Linnaeus 1758)
Diplodus vulgaris (Geoffroy Saint-­Hilaire 1817)
scanning of any object placed in a grid (provided by the program) that
can be printed in different sizes to suit the dimension of the scanned
model. In order to capture the necessary details for invertebrate
models, we used a rotating stand that minimized the possible abrupt
movements while the specimen is rotating during scanning. This sys-
tem allowed us to use different types of lights to avoid the loss of de-
tail, such as the relief or the roughness of some species (Figure 2A).
However, although this methodology is suitable for organisms of me-
dium size (~5–­30 cm in diameter), it has limitations for scanning smaller
(<5 cm) or larger (>30 cm) individuals. The lack of resolution of smart-
phone cameras cannot capture small details with enough quality to
generate an accurate 3D model of small specimens, and conversely,
the large dimensions of some specimens can cover the grid, preventing
the camera to always register the four corners, which is an essential
requirement for scanning to work. In addition, the scanning resolution
seemed to not be enough to capture the complexity of some inverte-
brate morphologies, such as the flat structure of some corals and gor-
gonians. Moreover, the fact that the organism must be placed on the
paper grid makes it difficult to work with soft-­bodied animals preserved
in ethanol, such as annelids or marine slugs. For the initial version of
the AR application, we selected and scanned five invertebrate organ-
isms that showed a better status of preservation in terms of shape and
color, or that were suitable representatives of their phylum to create
the 3D models. The selected species were the sponge Spongia offici-
nalis Linnaeus 1759 (Figure 2B), the molluscs Pecten jacobaeus (Linnaeus
1758) (Figure 2C) and Nautilus pompilius Linnaeus 1758 (Figure 2D), the
echinoderm Marthasterias glacialis (Linnaeus 1758) (Figure 2E), and the
cnidarian Tubipora musica Linnaeus 1758 (Figure 2F).
2.3  |  Design and development of InteractiVera
mobile app
The audiovisual material necessary to develop the standalone mo-
bile app InteractiVera was collected over the last 10 years in La Vera
County (Cáceres, Spain) during the field trips carried out with the
bachelor's level course Biodiversity of Terrestrial Systems. We have
chosen this course because it is one of the most complete and in-
terdisciplinary ones, in terms of the great number of activities and
concepts that the students need to learn from different subjects
(from sampling methodologies in zoology and botany, to in situ iden-
tification of species and ecological differences between habitats),
and it also includes one of the longest field trips. The unique geo-
morphological conditions of La Vera County, situated in Sierra de
Gredos (central-­western Spain), support a great variety of ecosys-
tems enclosed in the different bioclimatic regions it encompasses,
representing one of the most diverse areas of the Iberian Peninsula
(Amor et al., 1993; Gaytán et al., 2020). The app was initially de-
signed to complement teaching during the week-­
long field trip
that the students spend exploring animal and plant diversity from
La Vera County. The mobile app InteractiVera was developed in
Spanish language (but we are currently working to make it available
in English too) for Android devices (minimum version 5.0), employing
VERDES et al.
F I G U R E 2  Scanning of marine
invertebrate specimens to create 3D
models for the AR app. A. System used
to scan the models, with a rotating stand
and different types of lights. B. 3D model
of Spongia officinalis. C. 3D model of
Pecten jacobaeus. D. 3D model of Nautilus
pompilius. E. 3D model of Marthasterias
glacialis. F. 3D model of Tubipora musica
Java programming language (application download at https://bit.
ly/3qCNt6q. The storage system for content and device synchroni-
zation was implemented through Google Drive. In addition, we used
the local database Room for the correct functioning of the applica-
tion. The final app is a catalogue of the most common species found
in four selected habitats including alders, scrubs, oaks, and managed
oaks, and it includes 275 pictures and 43 audio recordings (only for
birds) corresponding to 289 different species (Table S1). The inter-
face has a simple design with tick boxes and drop-­down menus,
where students can choose the species they want to visualize from
different taxonomical categories and habitats, or use the search
tool to type the species name directly (Figure 3A). Once choices are
made, the list of pictures and audio recordings (when available) of
the selected species will appear on the screen (Figure 3B).
3  |   R E S U LT S A N D D I S CU S S I O N
3.1  |  Immersive SCUBA diving in a marine reserve
using Virtual Reality
Over the last year and a half, we used the 360° virtual SCUBA div-
ing video to complement traditional teaching during 2019 in differ-
ent master's level courses, including Techniques Associated with
the Study of Biodiversity and Invertebrate Zoology. Additionally, we
also used it to improve online teaching during the lockdown imposed
by the COVID-­19 pandemic in 2020 master's level courses such as
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      5 of 12
Conservation and Management of Marine Biodiversity. During 2019
face-­to-­face classes, we provided students with virtual reality gog-
gles to facilitate an immersive experience; however, the VR video can
also be watched on a mobile device, touchscreen, or computer simply
by moving the device around or scrolling the image with the finger (or
mouse, in desktop computers). This VR dive allows students to ob-
serve and identify the rich biodiversity associated with meadows of
Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile 1813, as well as other character-
istic species and communities of the Cabo de Gata-­Níjar MPA, from
hundreds of kilometers away and without even getting wet.
Students’ response to this initiative was really good (Table 2),
and the feedback they provided was extremely positive, considering
that in one of the master's level courses, the programmed field trip
was completely substituted with the VR diving video due to COVID-­
19-­related travel restrictions. The VR 360° experience allows our
students to virtually explore the habitats that they would explore
snorkeling in the real field trip, but also additional habitats such as
underwater cave communities that are not studied in the field during
this course. Furthermore, they can also learn the differences and
similarities of species inhabiting other areas of the Mediterranean
Sea by comparing their findings in the 360° virtual SCUBA diving
video with those habitats and species studied in previous lectures.
The educational value of scientific field trips, even if experienced
through virtual reality technologies, has been highlighted by count-
less experts (Hofstein & Rosenfeld, 1996; Ponce & Lago, 2015). The
importance of learning through experience and relating the topics
discussed in class to the real world adds practicality and relevance
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F I G U R E 3  InteractiVera mobile app. A. Taxonomical categories included in the drop-­down menus. B. Example of a list of pictures and
audio recordings provided by the app. C. One of the preliminary options to improve the InteractiVera interface and content

to the content, favoring a more meaningful learning experience given area as discussed here, but also to promote other important
(Tuthill & Klemm, 2002). In addition, the activity can be presented skills for the future development of the students’ careers. Indeed,
in different ways, to provide knowledge about the biodiversity of a the university should prepare students for life, providing them with
VERDES et al. |
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TA B L E 2  Summary of the proportion of the score given to each question in the mobile-­learning satisfaction survey. Students scored each
of 10 questions on a scale of 1 to 5: 1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neither disagree, nor agree, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly agree

1 2 3 4 5

Easiness to use the app

1. InteractiVera standalone mobile app was easy to use. 4.3% 30.5% 65.2%
2. In addition to the activity proposed in class, I have further explored the 8.7% 8.7% 26.1% 43.5% 13%
options and content available in the app.
Learning motivation
3. This type of interactive and less traditional tools motivates me more to 8.7% 13% 30.5% 47.8%
learn in the current online teaching situation we are experiencing.
4. I find that these types of tools enhance learning by providing more 8.7% 52.2% 39.1%
enjoyable activities that capture my attention.
Putative academic success
5. Using this type of less traditional tools I think I will remember better how 8.7% 21.7% 47.8% 21.7%
to analyze the biodiversity of organisms in a given area.
6. Using this kind of tools I think I will remember better some of the 4.3% 13% 34.8% 47.8%
organisms studied in the different habitats than if we had simply seen
them in a presentation.
Desire to complement traditional teaching
7. I would have liked to participate in a real sampling field campaign, 13% 87%
complementing it with the use of InteractiVera app.
8. I think that the sampling simulation using InteractiVera is a good learning 13% 4.3% 43.5% 21.7% 17.4%
activity that can substitute a real sampling campaign.
9. I would like to do more activities using applications or other non-­ 4.3% 52.2% 43.5%
traditional tools.
10. In a normal situation, I also would like to use these tools and other new 13% 21.7% 65.2%
technologies to complement all the classes.
11. Would you like to make a comment on things you didn't like or that you • To include more information of each species (seven students).
would like to improve about InteractiVera app? • To expand the app to other regions of the Iberian Peninsula (five
students).
• To increase the interaction with users allowing to upload their
own content (one student).
• Technical aspects related to the interface (bigger buttons or to
maintain options clicked when going back to the main menu) or
the fact that it can be only be used with Android devices (five
students).

enough knowledge about the world they live in (Howard-­Kennedy,
2005). Through virtual experiences like this, we can expose our stu-
dents to different aspects of a marine biologist's job in a more real-
istic manner, when field work or hands-­on activities are not possible.
For instance, activities such as tracking and identification of species,
surveys, and monitoring campaigns are the daily work of many scien-
tists and research assistants in our coasts, including National Parks
and Marine Protected Areas such as Cabo de Gata-­Níjar.
Given our preliminary positive results with VR in several courses
and its potential for different teaching and scientific purposes, our
goal was to create additional 360° underwater images and videos
from several areas of the Spanish coasts, including those in which
we develop scientific research activities, such as sampling trips or
underwater experiments. Thus, students would also be able to help
in the collection of data and observe and experience the particular-
ities of the scientific work in the marine environment, which may
otherwise be rather difficult to access.
3.2  |  VitrinasXR: Augmented reality app for
invertebrate zoology
We have also used the AR application VitrinasXR, which we devel-
oped to visualize invertebrate 3D models, as a complement to hands-
­on material in the laboratory practical classes of an invertebrate
zoology course that was partially carried out in-­person during Fall
2020. Given the lack of material of every species to be individually
studied by each student, we considered the use of 3D models in some
of the laboratories to be able to maintain social distancing between
students who would normally share study specimens. We created
a series of 3D models to be viewed through VitrinasXR (Figure 4A).
Specimens were part of the marine invertebrate collection displayed
at the Biology Department of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
(Figure 4B). We developed the AR mobile application using Creator
(Table 3), the software of the Aumentaty platform (www.aumen​t aty.
com/index​EN.php) that allows 3D models (or other elements such
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8 of 12       VERDES et al.
as images or videos) to be linked to QR codes (Figure 4C, D; Figure
S2). These QR codes can then be scanned with a smartphone using
the mobile application Scope (Table 3), also from the Aumentaty
platform, which will allow students to visualize and interact with
the different 3D models included in the app. Briefly, students need
to first download the Scope app in an Android or iOS device, and
then search and download the project VitrinasXR within the app.
Once VitrinasXR is downloaded, the project has to be opened within
Scope to be able to scan the QR codes and visualize the 3D models.
If students do not have direct access to the QR codes, a temporal
marker can be created within Scope. To do this, one just needs to
open the project VitrinasXR within Scope, select one of the avail-
able QR codes, and click on "Create temporal marker." This will allow
students to take a photograph of an object to use as a proxy for the
QR code and access the 3D models at any moment and from any
location.
Like every natural history repository, our marine invertebrate
collection is a basic research tool, but it also constitutes histor-
ical heritage and an instrument with high educational potential
(Sánchez-­Almazán, 2017). However, with the rise of new technol-
ogies, these collections are becoming obsolete and less relevant
to new generations of students, who may find such collections
F I G U R E 4  VitrinasXR AR app. A. View
of VitrinasXR when accessed through
the Scope app. B. Marine invertebrate
collection displayed at the Biology
Department of the Universidad Autónoma
de Madrid and panels with instructions for
accessing the AR content. C, D. Examples
of the information cards and associated
QR codes placed together with specimens
of the collection. C. Spongia officinalis. D.
Tubipora musica
old-­fashioned (Ariño, 2010). For some years now, museums and re-
search centers all around the world have been providing more de-
tailed and realistic information about the specimens they house in
their collections by incorporating sound libraries or digital illustra-
tions to generate a more engaging representation of the specimens
exposed (Baratas-­Díaz & González-­Bueno, 2013). Currently, AR is
also being incorporated, demonstrating its enormous educational
value as a cutting-­edge resource that also facilitates even more in-
teraction with visitors (Torres, 2011). Our main goal in using AR for
invertebrate zoology teaching was to make the laboratory classes
more engaging and to rejuvenate our marine invertebrate collection,
making it more attractive for the students. To facilitate access to 3D
models, we created information panels for each selected species and
placed them together with the corresponding specimen. Similar to
the identification cards designed for the 360º virtual diving activity
(see section 3.1), the panels contain basic data on the taxonomy and
biology of the species, and the associated QR code to visualize the
3D models (Figure 4C, D; Figure S2). As mentioned above, the Scope
application also allows the creation of temporary markers, enabling
the 3D models and the rest of the content associated with the spec-
imens to be accessible even if the student is not physically in front
of the QR codes. This increases the educational value of the marine
VERDES et al. |
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invertebrate collection as it facilitates permanent access from any

Active

Active

Active

Active

Active

Active
Status
location in the world, allowing the students to review on demand the
species studied in the lab.
Once again, the students’ response to the application was very
positive and they showed more interest and higher participation
Language

than in previous laboratories in which the AR app was not available.

Spanish

Spanish
Spanish

Spanish
English

English

English
In addition, they also showed a high degree of motivation and sat-

N/A
isfaction, since they had the opportunity to receive the information
in a different format. They saw the activity as a highly valuable op-
tion, especially in the current online teaching context, in which few
Free download, account and

Free download, account and

Visualized through Scope

courses offer opportunities for interaction. It seems that the apathy
Free access online some of our students are feeling in the current COVID-­19-­derived
login required

login required

situation can be turned around with the use of engaging teaching

Free download

Free download alternatives that improve motivation. In our specific case, the impact
Accessibility

and effectiveness of AR in terms of learning will be further evaluated

in the future.
TA B L E 3  Summary and comparison of the features of the different tools used to develop the three applications discussed here

3.3  |  InteractiVera: Mobile app for terrestrial

biodiversity field work
Windows
Platform

Android

Android

Android

Android

Android
iOS

iOS

iOS

iOS

We developed the standalone mobile app InteractiVera as a sub-

stitute for the field trip programed for the bachelor's level course
Biodiversity of Terrestrial Systems, which will take place April 2021
in an online format because of COVID-­related restrictions. We have
http://apple.co/2M5lU6S
https://www.qlone.pro/

https://bit.ly/35YVbQq

https://bit.ly/3qCNt6q
https://bit.ly/35XQJRI
http://bit.ly/3qHkUVx

conducted preliminary testing of the app with 23 master's students

http://bit.ly/3sHhbc6

in a biodiversity sampling simulation as part of the course Techniques

Associated with the Study of Biodiversity. After studying the differ-
ent sampling techniques to collect insects, we asked them to prepare
a list of the butterflies and beetles found in the four representative
Links

habitats of La Vera County, Spain, using InteractiVera. We provided

students with abundance measurements per habitat for each spe-
App to visualize content made by Creator, and published

cies, and worked together on an online hands-­on activity to compare

Tool for scanning objects in 3D, creation and export of

invertebrate collection at Dept. of Biology (UAM)

immersive experience in a marine protected area

App with a catalogue to explore the fauna and flora

butterfly and beetle diversity among habitats. The students then

Software to create AR projects that can display 3D
models associated with markers (e.g., QR code)

Virtual reality video that offers a SCUBA diving

had to determine which habitat would have priority for conservation

AR project that links 3D models to the marine

efforts, ranking them following different biodiversity indices includ-

biodiversity of La Vera region (Spain)

ing species richness, species diversity, and community similarity. The

3D models for augmented reality

first thing we could appreciate during the development of the class

in the Aumentaty community

using the app was a higher level of participation from all students,
including those who generally remain in the background. One of the
possible reasons for this increase in participation may be the engag-
ing use of a mobile learning interactive app and also the fact that
students see a real-­world use of the activity (Ponce & Lago, 2015).
In addition, to evaluate the students’ response to the use of the
Description

InteractiVera app in class, and whether it could influence their mo-

tivation or even their learning success, we provided a survey of 10
questions. The questionnaire adopted a 5-­point scale as follows:
1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neither disagree, nor agree,
4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly agree (Table 2). Regarding ease of use,
InteractiVera

all students except one (i.e., 95.7%) considered it easy to use, giving
VR SCUBA
VitrinasXR

a score of 4 or 5 (Question 1). However, only 58.5% of the students

Creator
Qlone

Scope

explored more in detail the content of the app that was not relevant
to the activity (Question 2). The questions related to motivation
 |
10 of 12       VERDES et al.
using InteractiVera or other non-­traditional tools in class (Questions
3 and 4) also received a high score from more than 78% and 91% of
the students, respectively. In addition, almost 70% of the students
thought the app would allow them to better remember the activ-
ity and the concepts (Question 5), and more than 82.6% considered
they would remember the studied species more easily thanks to the
app (Question 6). As expected, all students would have preferred to
do a real sampling activity in the field, although complementing it
with the use of the app (Question 7). However, almost 40% of the
students agreed that a simulated sampling is a good learning activity
and a suitable substitute for the real sampling campaign (Question
8). Finally, all students except one would like to do more activities
using mobile applications or other non-­traditional tools (Question
9), and almost 90% of them would like to complement classes with
these kinds of technologies in a normal situation (Question 10). We
also added an open question for students to communicate any-
thing they did not like from the app or their suggestions to improve
InteractiVera. Of the 17 students who replied to the question,
most of them pointed out that they would like to have more de-
tailed information on each species, such as its ecology or distribu-
tion in other areas, and many others also suggested expanding the
app to include content from other regions of the Iberian Peninsula.
Aside from some comments about technical aspects related to the
interface (e.g., bigger buttons, maintaining options selected when
going back to the main menu), or the fact that it is only available for
Android devices, one student also suggested adding the possibility
of uploading content to increase interaction among InteractiVera
users (Question 11, Table 2). We are currently working on some of
the aspects that the students highlighted, such as several interface
changes to make it more user-­friendly, the inclusion of more infor-
mation for each species (Figure 3C), or a web-­based storage and
synchronization service to allow students to upload their own field
observations.
In general, the survey results seem to indicate that alternative
ways of delivering content, in this case a mobile app to study the bio-
diversity of a given area, can increase motivation, probably because
of the novelty for the students. Routine is a characteristic feature
of many classrooms that, together with the increasing isolation cur-
rently experienced by students, can cause a stagnation in learning
rhythm (Ponce & Lago, 2015). Thus, student motivation through on-
line teaching has become one of the major challenges in education
during the last months, but one that can be at least partially over-
come with tools such as mobile or touchscreen devices and apps that
are already integrated into students’ daily lives. In our case, judging
by the responses to the questions related to student motivation
(Questions 3 and 4, Table 2), it seems that InteractiVera has achieved
this objective. Moreover, it also seems that their academic success
may improve through the use of apps and other new technologies
(Questions 5 and 6, Table 2), although more data are necessary to
analyze the academic impact of mobile learning. As has been pointed
out, the use of mobile apps for learning has increased during the last
years in science education (Jonas-­Dwyer et al., 2012; White, 2010),
but its pedagogic value is still emerging (Morris et al., 2016). It is also
important to note that the survey showed that students prefer to
use the mobile apps within a blended learning context that mixes the
use of technology in online and face-­to-­face teaching (Questions 7–­
10, Table 2). We cannot forget that one of the most attractive char-
acteristics of a bachelor's or master's course in biological sciences is
the possibility of fieldwork activities, which, together with the use
of interactive resources, could probably fulfill the higher learning
expectations of new generations.
4  |  CO N C LU S I O N S
During the COVID-­19 pandemic, teaching and learning while main-
taining engagement and motivation has been a major challenge for
both students and professors. To alleviate these issues and improve
the online teaching experience, we have leveraged the advantages
of mobile learning and extended reality technologies to develop a
series of mobile apps for university-­level courses involving inverte-
brate zoology laboratory and field work (see summary in Table 3).
We find that the use of these interactive and rather novel technolo-
gies has been a good solution to the general apathy and discour-
agement students experience due to the lack of in-­person, hands-­on
activities and field trips. Emerging technologies that show educa-
tional content in a different way have the greatest potential and pro-
jection in education, because they are capable of improving student
motivation and engagement in class (Jantjies et al., 2018). The tech-
nological advances and popularity of these tools have made them
easy to use for both teachers and students, allowing them to create
custom content without much difficulty and to be used effectively
in education (Horra Villacé, 2016; Saorín et al., 2016). Students can
use these interactive mobile learning applications both in class and
on their own time for on-­demand learning or review (Stark, 2012).
In addition, mobile learning, including AR and VR technologies,
presents a series of added benefits. Students from disadvantaged
socioeconomic backgrounds are often not able to enjoy activities in
nature outside of school, so virtual experiences make these activ-
ities accessible to all, partially reducing social inequalities (Greene
et al., 2014; Verdes et al., 2019). Additionally, the flexibility offered
by mobile learning and virtual experiences may improve learning
outcomes because they can be adapted to the diversity of learning
styles among students within the same course (Greenberg, 2004;
Robinson, 2009). Mobile learning also allows students with commu-
nication or physical difficulties to participate in certain types of ac-
tivities that would otherwise be difficult for them to access without
traveling with their families or without professional help (Ponce &
Lago, 2015). Therefore, these technologies also make it possible to
offer educational experiences based on the principles of Universal
Learning Design, which seek to eliminate barriers, provide the tools
that best suit the needs of students, and facilitate the participation
of all students (Fernández Portero, 2018; Luque & Cabezas, 2017).
In our experience, students greatly appreciate the use of mobile
learning and extended reality experiences easily accessible through
their own devices, not only to improve online teaching in the current
VERDES et al.
COVID-­19 pandemic, but also as an added value to regular in-­person
classes. The use of these technologies has resulted in increased
engagement, enjoyment, and motivation of students, which may
also improve learning outcomes. The ease of use and the pedagog-
ical benefits provided by these emerging technologies make them
tools with great potential in education. Therefore, we encourage
educators to consider incorporating them into their teaching, both
during the COVID-­19 pandemic, which has imposed generalized on-
line teaching, and also when going back to our regular face-­to-­face
teaching practices.
AC K N OW L E D G M E N T S
We are very grateful to all the colleagues who participated with their
comments and support during the development of these projects:
José Dulac, Ibán de la Horra, Marta Pola, Eduardo López, Yolanda
Lucas, Helena Romo, Fátima Franco, Juan Traba, Francisco Lara,
Begoña Peco, Ángel Luque, Guillermo San Martín, Miguel Ángel
Fernández, Rocío Gómez. We also would like to thank the students
of the Biodiversity Master (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) for
their understanding during these difficult moments and for the
great feedback they gave in all the activities. Suggestions from
Irene del Olmo, Víctor León Huerta, Santiago Gómez-­Escabia and
Laia Moreno-­Martínez were especially useful and encouraging to
improve the apps. A big thanks goes to the reviewers, Rich Palmer
(University of Alberta), Dave Cowles (Walla Walla University), and
Marta Novo (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), for their use-
ful comments and suggestions to improve our manuscript. And, of
course special thanks to Michael Hart, Kevin Kocot, and Elizabeth
Davis-­Berg for the invitation to participate in this special issue of
Invertebrate Biology. Project expenses were covered by Biology
Department and Teaching Innovation Department from Universidad
Autónoma de Madrid.
ORCID
Aida Verdes  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9193-9253
Patricia Álvarez-­Campos  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9472-2378
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