Augmented Reality in Education

by

Çelebi Uluyol

• LAST REVIEWED: 26 January 2022
• LAST MODIFIED: 29 May 2019
• DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756810-0216

Introduction

In recent years, one of the most popular innovations that has accompanied the rapid changes in portable computers, Internet speed and personal digital assistants (PDAs) is augmented reality (AR). At the present, major investments concerning AR are being made, and it is predicted that there will be even further investment in the automotive, media/telecom, healthcare services, consumption and retail, industrial products, power tools, energy and mining, financial services, accommodation, and travel sectors within the next five years. AR is used in different sectors for various purposes such as service, manufacture, sales and marketing, design, operations, education, and quality and guidance. Researchers and educational technologists in particular have conducted different studies on the use of AR in educational environments. In studies implemented with participants who are receiving both K-12 and higher education, the integration of AR into the learning and teaching process has been investigated. The main object of interest is whether the use of AR as a new technology in educational environments will improve the current environments. Examining the literature concerning the use of AR in education, the majority of findings show that AR affects the learning process positively. In the findings, it is generally stressed that AR makes the learning process more interesting and efficient, provides the opportunity for interaction, increases the motivation toward and interest in the lesson, and affects attitudes toward learning positively. Even though the use of AR in educational environments has positive aspects, the study of AR is just beginning. Indeed, despite many advantages, it also has a number of disadvantages that need to be taken into consideration. Thus, there is an increasing number of experimental studies implemented in different disciplines and using different variables. In this study, an in-depth review was performed by addressing different aspects of the use of AR in educational environments.

Impact of AR on Education and Training

Lee 2012 examines developments related to the use of augmented reality (AR) in different educational fields and stresses that there is a need to use AR for different educational grades. Ardito, et al. 2006 states that this situation arises from social needs that necessitate changes and innovations in education. Balog, et al. 2007 indicates that the AR learning system makes learning environments more attractive, encouraging, and exciting for students. Ng and Shaziti 2004 states that AR technology offers a different kind of application for a new education, increases the effectiveness and attraction of learning environments for students in the real world, facilitates interaction, and enables students to acquire cognitive and meta-cognitive skills for a better “transfer” of learning. The same study suggests that AR technology enables students to not only develop new knowledge, skills, and attitudes but also to apply and use the data repeatedly without the negative consequences of mistakes they make within the learning process. This situation encourages students to make mistakes, take risks, and learn through practice. Vilkoniene 2009 states that AR technology plays an important role in education, especially in helping students understand information involving complex concepts and phenomena. Ibanez, et al. 2014 accepts AR as a technology that has the potential to influence affective and cognitive learning outcomes.

• Ardito, C., M. F. Costabile, M. De Marsico, et al. 2006. An approach to usability evaluation of e-learning applications. Universal Access in the Information Society 4.3: 270–283.

  DOI: 10.1007/s10209-005-0008-6

  Recommends evaluation models that can be used in the analysis of an e-learning application.

• Balog, Alexandru, Costin Pribeanu, and Dragos Iordache. 2007. Augmented reality in schools: Preliminary evaluation results from a summer school. International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences 1.6: 215–218.

  Provides usability test results for the first prototype developed for the ARISE (Augmented Reality in School Environments) project.

• Ibanez, Maria B., Angela Di Serio, Diego Villaran, and Carlos D. Kloos. 2014. Experimenting with electromagnetism using augmented reality: Impact on flow student experience and educational effectiveness. Computers & Education 71:1–13.

  DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2013.09.004

  Compared with augmented reality and a Web-based learning environment to learn electromagnetism; this study shows that augmented reality users have a better learning output.

• Lee, Kangdon. 2012. Augmented reality in education and training. TechTrends 56.2: 13–21.

  DOI: 10.1007/s11528-012-0559-3

  Describes how AR is applied in education and its potential impact on the future of education.

• Ng, G. W., and A. Shaziti. 2004. Augmented reality in education and training. In Proceedings of National Conference on E-Learning. 13–19. Penang, Malaysia: Univ. of Science Malaysia.

  Finds that AR technology provides students with opportunities to make mistakes, take risks, and become adventurous.

• Vilkoniene, Margarita. 2009. Influence of augmented reality technology upon pupils’ knowledge about human digestive system: The results of the experiment. US-China Education Review 6.1: 36–43.

  The aim of the experimental study, which was conducted with the participation of 110 students, is to examine the effect of augmented reality technology (ART) on learning.