Evaluating the Usability and User Engagement of Herbal Heritage as a Medium for Gamified Learning of Kenyah and Kayan Traditional Medicinal Knowledge Using Extended Reality

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge of traditional medicine, which has sustained Borneo’s ethnic tribes for generations, is facing extinction due to the preference for modern medicine and a lack of motivation to pass down this wisdom. To combat this potential loss, thisstudy explored the usability and user engagement of a smartphone-based extended reality application, Herbal Heritage, a gamified learning tool for Kenyah and Kayan medicinal practices. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to identify which gamification elements would best motivate users when utilizing augmented reality (AR) and non-immersive virtual reality (VR). Data collection methods included a post-test questionnaire that used the System Usability Scale (SUS), Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), observations, and open-ended interviews. The data collection was conducted at the FORUM Cultural Centre, Miri, with the Kenyah and Kayan communities. It found that a unified device offering both gamified AR and VR experiences was well-received by the community. The final prototype was highly successful, with participants deeming the immersive, gamified elements a valuable and effective means of preserving this indigenous knowledge.