Introducing Polar Animals with an AI-Based Educational Game: A Study for Middle School Students

Abstract

The poles are recognized as the northernmost and southernmost points on Earth. These extremes are defined differently in terms of cartography, magnetism, geography, and the polar star. In Turkey, numerous activities have been carried out concerning the polar regions, such as the establishment of a scientific research camp and meteorological station in Antarctica, seabed mapping, and similar initiatives. These activities have continued to expand rapidly. In this context, it is anticipated that the targeted educational content will be more easily accessed through studies conducted not only by public and private research and development institutions but also within the field of education. This study aims to increase middle school students' awareness of 20 animal species living in the polar regions, as part of the “World of Living Things” unit and the “Let’s Get to Know Living Things” section of the Science curriculum. The research was designed using a qualitative approach, specifically the phenomenological design, which aims to understand the essence of participants lived experiences with a particular phenomenon. The participants consisted of 105 volunteer 5th-grade students from a public middle school in Ankara. Data were collected through open-ended, self-assessment forms and analyzed using qualitative methods. As part of the study, 20 animals living in the polar regions were identified, and an Artificial Intelligence-Based Educational Game (AIEG) was developed. The game was created using the image recognition feature on the Teachable Machine (URL1) platform and deployed as an online, web-based educational tool. After engaging with the game, students completed a self-assessment form. Additionally, qualitative data were obtained through question–answer interviews with students, and the findings were evaluated using content analysis. The results revealed that students initially had limited knowledge of animals living in the polar regions, but their awareness significantly improved after interacting with the educational game. Based on the findings, it is recommended that educational games be more widely integrated into school settings to support effective and lasting learning. Furthermore, this research is expected to serve as a model for future studies aimed at raising awareness about polar animals and contributing to the protection of species threatened by environmental challenges.