Technology-Enhanced Learning in Taekwondo Education: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53905/edu.v1i03.24Keywords:
taekwondo, technology-enhanced learning, martial arts education, artificial intelligence, virtual realityAbstract
Purpose of the study: Taekwondo instruction has traditionally relied on subjective, instructor-mediated evaluation of technique. Over the past decade, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), wearable sensors, and e-learning platforms have increasingly been applied to taekwondo teaching, coaching, and skill assessment. This systematic review aimed to map and critically synthesize the empirical evidence on technology-enhanced learning (TEL) in taekwondo education, addressing publication trends, technology types, learning outcomes, research methods/pedagogical frameworks, and research gaps.
Materials and methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement, a systematic electronic search was conducted across Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and ERIC (2015–July 2026), supplemented by the Consensus academic meta-search engine (indexing Semantic Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus records). The search combined the term "taekwondo" with technology-related keywords (e.g., "artificial intelligence," "virtual reality," "augmented reality," "wearable sensor," "e-learning," "pose estimation," "gamification"). Of 196 records identified, 142 remained after de-duplication; 44 underwent full-text review, and 16 empirical studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis.
Results: Included studies were published between 2021 and 2026, predominantly in engineering/computing and sport-science journals from East and South Asia. Artificial-intelligence and computer-vision applications (pose estimation, graph convolutional networks, CNN–LSTM hybrids) dominated the literature (11/16 studies), followed by virtual reality (2), augmented reality (1), wearable sensors/IoT (2), multimedia video-based learning (1), and LMS/flipped-classroom platforms (1). No study specifically examined gamification in taekwondo. Reported learning outcomes were overwhelmingly psychomotor (technique-recognition accuracy, scoring precision), with comparatively limited evidence on cognitive, affective, and long-term engagement/motivation outcomes. Most studies used single-group technical validation or cross-sectional designs; only three employed a comparison/control condition, and only one was explicitly anchored in a pedagogical or psychological framework (cognitive absorption.
Conclusions: Technology-enhanced learning shows consistent, technically robust potential to make taekwondo skill assessment more objective, accessible, and motivating, but the evidence base remains dominated by engineering-oriented proof-of-concept studies rather than pedagogically grounded, outcome-controlled educational research. Future work should prioritize theory-driven instructional design, longitudinal and comparative trials, standardized outcome measures across cognitive/psychomotor/affective domains, and broader geographic and skill-level representation.
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