Development of an Animation-Based Interactive Android Learning Application to Enhance Elementary Students’ Addition and Subtraction Skills

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and evaluate an interactive Android-based learning application incorporating animated visualizations to improve elementary school students’ addition and subtraction skills. Many students experience difficulties in understanding basic arithmetic operations due to abstract instructional methods and limited interactive media. To address this issue, the application was developed using a Research and Development approach based on the ADDIE model, consisting of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation stages. The application integrates animated object visualization, guided practice exercises, quizzes, and real-time feedback within a child-friendly user interface. The effectiveness of the application was examined using a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest control groups. The results indicated that students who used the application demonstrated significantly higher improvement in numeracy skills compared to those who received conventional instruction. The normalized gain analysis showed a medium level of effectiveness in the experimental group, while the control group showed a lower improvement level. These findings suggest that animation-based mobile learning applications can enhance conceptual understanding and learning motivation in elementary mathematics education.