As the demand for higher-order thinking skills continues to rise in the 21st century, the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) into educational practices has emerged as a promising tool. However, its full potential in enhancing collaborative problem-solving and team creativity within educational contexts, particularly in Digital Storytelling (DST), remains insufficiently explored. This study investigated the effects of GAI tools, including ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Runway, on university students’ Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS) skills, Team Creativity Performance (TCP), and their perceptions of GAI’s role in DST creation. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study utilized pre- and post-surveys along with semi-structured interviews to assess these outcomes. Over a 20-week DST training program, sixty university students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group creating their DST with the aid of GAI tools or a conventional group designed DST via traditional methods. Results indicated that the integration of GAI tools in DST creation significantly enhanced students’ CPS skills. Furthermore, the experimental group demonstrated better performance in team creativity, particularly in the user experience and novelty dimensions. It also revealed that while students generally held a positive attitude toward the use of GAI in DST creation, they also expressed concerns about potential cognitive offloading, over-reliance on GAI technology, and the lack of emotional support. This study offers valuable insights for educators and researchers seeking to incorporate GAI technologies into DST creation as a way to foster collaborative learning and creativity in educational settings.

The recent integration of educational technologies and emerging learning approaches into education systems has been driven largely by the pandemic. This paper conducts a systematic review and delves into the new wave of research on serious games designed for innovative learning using augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR). The review was referenced to the review protocol, PRISMA 2020. Using the Scopus Database with a time filter from 2007 to 2023 (27 July), we searched 329 articles and shortlisted 273 relevant studies. Notably, European countries contributed the most (62.9%) to this research area. Among the most frequent keywords, VR (90.9%) was commonly used in AR/VR/MR, while e-learning (95.3%) was among the popular innovative learning approaches. Further research studies are needed to employ AR and MR technologies, as well as other innovative learning approaches, to enable performance evaluation and comparison of various educational technologies and learning approaches. We conducted an in-depth analysis of the relevant studies and their basic characteristics. Additionally, we introduced 15 essential and recently published AR/VR/MR standards to ensure better reliability, quality, and safety of architectures, systems, products, services, and processes. To facilitate performance evaluation and analysis, we surveyed 15 recently published benchmark education datasets. This review suggested four future research directions, including multisensory experiences, generative artificial intelligence, personalization and customization, and real-time interaction.

In early education, reading difficulties can lead to negative outcomes. Augmented reality (AR) storybooks combine the benefits of e-books and print books, significantly aiding children's reading skills and gaining recognition from scholars and educators. However, existing AR storybooks often overlook the design of interactive features, which may explain the inconsistent findings in research on their impact. This study aims to embed interactive tasks into AR storybooks and investigate their effects on children's reading engagement, story retelling, and reading comprehension. 40 children aged 8 to 10 were invited to participate in the reading activity. They were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group used AR storybooks that included interactive tasks, requiring them to complete various activities during reading. The control group used AR storybooks without interactive tasks, which provided multi-sensory experiences. Throughout the activity, researchers observed each child's reading engagement and completed a reading engagement assessment form. At the end of the activity, all children completed story retelling and reading comprehension tests. Finally, both groups of children participated in semi-structured interviews for cross-validation. The study found that children in the experimental group showed significantly higher levels of reading engagement, story retelling, and reading comprehension than children in the control group. While multimedia elements in AR storybooks can increase children's reading engagement, a large part of that engagement is driven by children's focus on AR elements. However, interactive tasks shift children's engagement more toward the story content. We also discovered that interactive tasks are a key factor in encouraging children to think actively and serve as an effective strategy for guiding them to focus on the main issues in the story. Additionally, the strategy-search-decision feedback within the interactive tasks greatly aids children in understanding and remembering the story.