Enhancing Kinematics Understanding Through a Real-Time Graph-Based Motion Video Game

TL;DR

Problem: students struggle to grasp kinematics and interpret motion graphs. Approach: MissionMotion—a real-time graph-based motion video game—bridges embodied movement and sensor data to let students reproduce target graphs with immediate feedback, across keyboard/mouse and sensor-enabled input modes. Findings: initial pilots report high engagement, positive usability, and reflective discussions on motion graphs, with teachers expressing enthusiasm for classroom integration; conceptual gains are being evaluated with pre/post assessments in ongoing work. Significance: the freely available, platform-agnostic tool supports experimentation, computational thinking, and playful learning in physics classrooms.

Abstract

Kinematics is a core topic in early physics courses, yet students often struggle to interpret motion and its graphical representations. To tackle these difficulties, we developed MissionMotion, a physical-computational videogame where students reproduce target motion graphs using real-time data from their own movements or from sensors connected through micro:bit or Arduino. The system displays both the target and the user-generated graph, providing immediate visual feedback and a score based on similarity. We piloted the environment with ninth-grade students in different school contexts and evaluated their experience using the MEEGA+ instrument. The results show strong engagement, positive perceptions of usability, and evidence that the game promotes reflection on motion graphs in ways that rarely emerge in traditional lessons. MissionMotion runs on any web-enabled device and all materials are openly available, offering teachers an accessible tool to integrate experimentation, computational thinking, and playful learning into physics classrooms.

Figures (6)

• Figure 1: Connection setup used in MissionMotion, showing the micro:bit board connected to an ultrasonic distance sensor and interfaced with a laptop for real-time motion acquisition. When using micro:bit, the HC-SR04P ultrasonic sensor must be employed instead of the HC-SR04, as it is compatible with the 3.3 V operating voltage of the micro:bit.
• Figure 2: Micro:bit board linked to an ultrasonic sensor and interfaced with a laptop for real-time motion acquisition in MissionMotion. The photo also shows the player holding a folder used as a paddle to improve the ultrasonic sensor’s tracking accuracy.
• Figure 3: Main screen of MissionMotion displaying the activity menu, where students can choose among multiple motion-replication challenges and different input modes. The platform supports both individual gameplay and a classroom-oriented collective mode: teachers have access to a dedicated login that allows them to create virtual classrooms, invite students via code, and view all student results. The teacher menu also provides suggested activities and instructional sequences to support classroom implementation.
• Figure 4: Four screenshots of gameplay scenes with different difficulty levels. The player must reproduce the purple position–time graph by moving the mouse or trackpad, represented visually by the paper-ball avatar at the bottom of the screen. As the player moves the mouse, the avatar’s motion is displayed in real time and a yellow graph of the user-generated trajectory is drawn. At the end of the attempt, the system provides a score based on the similarity between the target and the player’s graph.
• Figure 5: Usability evaluation results obtained with the MEEGA+ instrument. The figure summarizes student ratings across dimensions such as ease of use, clarity of interface, perceived control, and feedback effectiveness.