[Paper Review] Research on Wearable Technologies for Learning: A Systematic Review

Sharon Lynn Chu, Brittany Garcia+1 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 28, 2022

Impact of Technology on Adolescents111 references4 citations

TL;DR

This systematic review synthesizes existing research on wearable technologies in education, identifying seven distinct ways wearables support learning across diverse populations and settings. It proposes a five-component framework for understanding current research and highlights unaddressed areas, offering a holistic perspective on wearable use in learning environments with implications for future design and study.

ABSTRACT

A good amount of research has explored the use of wearables for educational or learning purposes. We have now reached a point when much literature can be found on that topic, but few attempts have been made to make sense of that literature from a holistic perspective. This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on wearables for learning. Literature was sourced from conferences and journals pertaining to technology and education, and through an ad hoc search. Our review focuses on identifying the ways that wearables have been used to support learning and provides perspectives on that issue from a historical dimension, and with regards to the types of wearables used, the populations targeted, and the settings addressed. Seven different ways of how wearables have been used to support learning were identified. We propose a framework identifying five main components that have been addressed in existing research on how wearables can support learning and present our interpretations of unaddressed research directions based on our review results.

Motivation & Objective

• To synthesize and make sense of the growing body of literature on wearable technologies in educational contexts.
• To identify patterns in how wearables have been used to support learning across different populations, settings, and types of devices.
• To analyze historical trends and technological evolution in wearable learning applications.
• To propose a conceptual framework based on recurring components in existing research on wearable-assisted learning.
• To highlight under-researched areas and suggest directions for future studies in wearable technology for education.

Proposed method

• Conducted a systematic literature review using databases and ad hoc searches focused on technology and education journals and conferences.
• Searched for peer-reviewed studies on wearable technologies used in learning contexts from 2000 to 2021.
• Applied inclusion and exclusion criteria to select relevant studies based on relevance to learning, wearable use, and methodological rigor.
• Categorized studies by type of wearable, target population, learning context, and learning objectives.
• Identified recurring themes and patterns in the use of wearables to support learning.
• Developed a five-component framework based on recurring research components to structure current knowledge and guide future research.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How have wearable technologies been used to support learning across different educational contexts and populations?
• RQ2 What types of wearables are most commonly used in learning research, and what are their primary functions?
• RQ3 What are the dominant learning objectives and pedagogical approaches associated with wearable technology use?
• RQ4 What recurring structural components appear in existing research on wearables for learning, and how do they relate to learning outcomes?
• RQ5 What critical research gaps or underexplored areas exist in the current literature on wearable-assisted learning?

Key findings

• Seven distinct ways wearables have been used to support learning were identified, including real-time feedback, emotion and engagement monitoring, and context-aware learning support.
• The most commonly used wearables include smartwatches, EEG headsets, and biosensors, primarily deployed in K-12 and higher education settings.
• Research has predominantly focused on STEM education, physical education, and emotional regulation, with limited exploration in arts, humanities, and vocational training.
• The proposed five-component framework includes: (1) wearable type, (2) learning context, (3) target population, (4) learning objective, and (5) evaluation method.
• Significant gaps remain in longitudinal studies, ethical considerations, and inclusive design for neurodiverse learners.
• Few studies have examined the long-term impact of wearables on learning outcomes or explored equity and accessibility in wearable learning applications.