CarromTutor: A Cognitive Apprenticeship Based Tutor for Carrom Skills and Strategies

Abstract

Carrom is a popular game and there are many online and standalone applications for playing it. However there is no tutor for systematic teaching-learning of Carrom skills and strategies. In this paper, we describe the design, implementation and evaluation of Carrom Tutor, for teaching-learning of Carrom skills and strategies. Carrom Tutor incorporates principles of cognitive apprenticeship and game-based learning, and is implemented in Blender, a free and open source 3D animation suite. We evaluated Carrom Tutor through a study involving both novices and experts. We measured learning using pre-post exercises, and usability by administering the SUS scale. We also compared Carrom Tutor with Carrom King, a popular online version of the game. We found that (i) most learners were able to learn 3-6 new skills and found it easy to relate the tutorials to the exercises, (ii) the SUS rating was 84.09 (grade A), and (iii) learners gave positive feedback on the interactivity, 3D point of view, and teaching learning approach in Carrom Tutor.