This signature work focuses on the creation of a novel educational mobile app combining gamification
and machine learning to facilitate the learning of Chinese characters. The project
aimed to resolve the issue of enhancing the learning experience, delivering related content,
and fostering student engagement at Duke Kunshan University (DKU). Based on a user‐centered
design methodology, a low‐fidelity prototype was built that utilized interactive learning and
gamification to engage users and gain character.
Initial tests of the prototype ensured its usability and educational potential and provided insights
on weaknesses and areas for improvement. Even though the user interface prototype
in Figma showed promise for engendering users and supporting learning, inadequacies, including
non‐functional machine learning algorithms and interactive components, revealed
the need for more development.
The study was finished with a guideline for transforming the app into a fully purposeful product,
highlighting the need for backend development to fully implement adaptive learning abilities
and gamification mechanics. Future integration into DKU’s Chinese language classes is
proposed in order to test the app in the classroom. The results add to the expanding field of
educational technology by offering a platform for gamification and machine learning for language
learning.
