A Content Analysis of Journal Publication on Gesture-Based Computing in Education

This study used content analysis to explore characteristics and trends of research on gesture-based computing in education based on journal articles from 2001-2012. This study revealed the distribution and trends in research methods, discipline of the study, learning content, technology used and intended setting of the gesture-based learning system. Experimental design research is the most used method (50%) followed by design-based research (30.8%). The findings indicate that Nintendo Wii is the most used gesture-based device (44%). The largest percentage of the domain is in special education (40%). The same trend is also found in a further analysis that the largest percentage of domain using Wii is special education (70%). Among all identified learning topics, motor skill learning has the highest percentage (20%). When grouping these topics into three domains of knowledge (procedural, conceptual, and both), the result demonstrates that procedural type knowledge dominates gesture-based learning studies. Not surprisingly, data shows the highest percentage of intended setting is classroom setting.