Paper—An Emerging Technology: Augmented Reality to Promote Learning

An Emerging Technology:
Augmented Reality to Promote Learning
https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v12.i11.7354

Fezile Ozdamli!!", Cigdem Hursen

Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
[email protected]

Abstract—This study aims to determine the benefits and limitations of AR

applications in computer hardware education, when used as a supplementary
technology, as well as examining their impact on reflective thinking skills. The
study was designed according to pre-test post-test research model with experi-
mental and control groups. The teacher candidates studied the 3D visuals both
in and out of the classroom by scanning the markers in their books. In addition,
they watched educational animations and videos on required subjects. As a re-
sult, in this study where Augmented Reality applications assisted with reflective
learning skills were implemented in a computer hardware course, teacher can-
didates generally reported positive views and suggestions regarding AR appli-
cations.

Keywords—Augmented reality, reflective learning, hardware course, teacher

candidates

1 Introduction

Although traditional teaching methods have produced many successful outcomes,

nowadays educational institutions are in search of methods which will improve stu-
dents’ intellectual capacities and their learning experiences [1]. Nincarean, Alia,
Halim, & Rahman [2] state that even though existing methods work, there is an in-
creasing interest among both educators and researchers to examine more practical
methods, particularly since the proliferation of technology and its integration into
education gained significance. The manifestation of digital technology has resulted in
an escalation in the use of e-learning in higher education. Mayer [3], a supporter of
the multimedia theory, states that presenting texts together with visuals enables stu-
dents to form both verbal and cognitive models and also a connection between the
two. Emerging tools, social media and virtual environments are providing both stu-
dents and educators with the opportunity to create new learning environments [4]. The
current developments in technology have had a positive impact on the interaction of
media content and the quality of learning platforms; thus, there has been an immense
increase in the usage of e-learning tools. In fact, technology has become integrated
into education and the results have a positive impact on the teaching-learning process
[5]. Moreover, previous studies show that technology-assisted learning creates a more

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innovative teaching and learning styles [6]. The richness of the digital learning re-
sources and communication tools in e-learning promotes reflective engagement in the
learning process [7;8]. Mobile devices, in particular, have become a part of daily lives
and their applications in education have been discovered by educators and research-
ers. Mobile applications which can be used in education, learning management sys-
tems (LMS) compatible with mobiles and mobile Augmented Reality applications are
all examples of these discoveries. Augmented Reality is a developing technology
which has the potential to influence the teaching-learning process [2]. Developments
in Augmented Reality for mobile devices are rapidly increasing and this is reflected
the increase in the usage of laptops worldwide. As mentioned by Horizon Report:
Higher Education Edition, [9] Augmented Reality was one of the most developed
emerging technologies in 2016. Bal and Bicen [10] state that the integration of QR
codes into augmented reality technologies promotes learning in a shorter period of
time via the usage of visuals. An analysis of Computer Education and Instructional
Technology Department student grades reveals that the success rate in the computer
hardware courses is low. With the integration of computers into every field, hardware
knowledge has increasingly become significant. Hardware and software knowledge
are regarded as the minimum knowledge any Computer Education and Instructional
Technology Department graduate should have. Kehagias [11] states that students
should think of computers as a magical black box which runs programmes automati-
cally. Hence, computer hardware and software courses are regarded as an important
part of undergraduate syllabi. The IEEE Computer Society and Association approve
that these courses are a significant part of the curriculum in departments related to
computer science. Zhoua [12] states that computer hardware courses include micro-
computer principle, assembly language and interface technology, which are all diffi-
cult for students to apply. Liu [13] in his study claims that the role of basic hardware
courses and the teaching models implemented are not sufficient enough to develop
students’ skills. Additionally, Chen [14] emphasizes the importance of implementing
a learner-centered approach in applied courses in computer technologies departments.
Moreover, there are many other studies which claim that the implementation of a
student-centered approach to the teaching of computer science courses would lead to
a higher success rate. Tok [15] states that reflective thinking has been identified as a
general skill that teachers need to be proficient in; and thus, to enable a satisfactory
proficiency level in this skill, it is important that teacher training courses include
information on reflective thinking and there is an improved attitude towards it.
Bosque, Martinez, & Torres, [16] indicated that in their study the application of aug-
mented reality as a strategy to increase the percentage of achievement of the students
in the structured programming subject is consistent with the learning outcomes. How-
ever, a literature review of augmented reality in hardware courses revealed no study
with a concrete conclusion.
This study aims to determine the benefits and limitations of AR applications in
computer hardware education, when used as a supplementary technology, as well as
examining their impact on reflective thinking skills. It is believed that Computer Edu-
cation and Instructional Technologies students’ reflective learning skills and their
views on using AR applications in hardware courses are important because these

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students, who are receiving an education to ensure the integration of technology into
learning environments and ensure its effective use, will one day become teachers
themselves.

2 Theoretical Background

2.1 Augmented reality

Mehler-Bicher et al. [17] state that despite the continual increase of AR applica-
tions and the rapid advancement of the existing technology, a consistent definition of
AR does not exist. In a most general term, augmented reality (AR) is defined as “a
real world context that is dynamically overlaid with coherent location or context sen-
sitive virtual information” [19]. Nincarean et al. [2] define augmented reality
applications as the integration of virtual objects into real scenes.
Augmented reality applications must have three basic characteristics: (1) the com-
bination of virtual and real objects in a real environment (2) an interactive study in a
real-time environment (3) a consistency between the real and virtual objects [18]. In a
study [20] it is emphasized that augmented reality is studied under two categories
which are: optical and video-based technologies. The difference between the two
technologies is the way the scene integrating the real and the virtual world is viewed.
While in optical systems the scene is shown in the real world via glasses, in video-
based technologies the scene is showed on a monitor or mobile device screen.
Alkhattabi [5] states that it is more accurate to think of AR applications as a concept
rather than a type of technology. Furthermore, Alkhattabi indicates that AR does not
substitute real objects by placing them into a real environment; instead, it has a sup-
portive role in students’ experiences and enables them to benefit from the real-life
opportunities it provides. Similarly, Nincarean et al. [2] claim that augmented reality
environments increase student-student and student-teacher interaction and enable
cooperative learning; hence, they increase student motivation. With the increase of
mobile device usage so has the potential to use Augmented Reality applications on
these devices. In some studies, Augmented Reality applications have been used with
mobile devices by being integrated with QR codes. According to Wang et. al. [4], the
utilization of AR applications in different fields of computer science has supported
the increase in student motivation to learn the course content and also in the increase
in their pedagogical strategies. Furthermore, researchers claim that augmented reality
environments supported by mobile devices, where learning takes place with students
involving their emotions and prior knowledge, can create more effective learning
environments. According to Schrier [21] by using augmented reality applications,
students can gain many 21st century skills, such as interpretation, critical thinking,
problem-solving, information management, group work and flexibility. Students
should use Augmented Reality applications both at home and during lessons and give
feedback to stimulate future studies. QR codes enable Scavenger hunts to be used on
smartphones too, for example, learn mathematics or library categorization. Students
can help AR technology developers by sharing their experiences with them. While

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learning the digestive system, students could use AR applications on their mobile
phones and achieve their learning goals easily [22].
Currently there are some limitations to the use of Augment Reality; these are as
follows: student mobile phones may not be compatible with augmented reality appli-
cations, lessons may not be able to be conducted effectively if teachers do not have
the necessary technological skills [23]; both teachers and students can be trained to
integrate these technologies into education.

2.2 Reflective Thinking

Reflective thinking, which is an approach that has been profoundly studied by re-
searchers [24] enables the integration of theory and application, thought and practice
and is defined as a process of reaching new values by the combination of past experi-
ences, practices and theories [25]. Similarly, another researcher [26] explains reflec-
tion in education as students concentrating on a subject and the conscious analysis of
it. On the other hand, a researcher [27] describes reflection as the whole of examina-
tion methods and problem solution activities. Some researchers [28] state that reflec-
tive learning encourages learners to gain a deeper understanding of the course content
and that it provides them with the opportunity to comprehend their own learning pro-
cess. Moreover, reflective learning aims to develop life-long learning skills by using
learners’ prior knowledge and enabling them to gain new experiences. Within the last
20 years, the literature on reflection abounds with examples of discussions on reflec-
tion developing learners’ skills and promoting a deeper understanding [29]; a re-
searcher [30] draws attention to teacher training, claiming that reflective tasks are a
prominent paradigm in teacher training. Along similar lines, a researcher [31] ex-
plains that with this model of teaching, teachers are also able to discover their own
methods and restructure their own knowledge. In addition to this, some researchers
[32] report that the reflective teaching method will enable teachers to be analytical of
their own teaching methods, and thus, will help them gain the experience of improv-
ing their teaching methods. It is supported by a researcher [30] who states reflective
methods raise teachers’ awareness of teaching, and therefore, have a positive influ-
ence on teaching methods. Authors in an article [33] point out that it is highly im-
portant for students that teachers use reflective methods in the classroom; yet, add that
reflective thinking is a challenging skill for students to achieve. In short, teachers
knowing strategies to implement reflective activities in class has a positive impact on
students’ reflective thinking skills. Reflective teaching, which has brought a new
perspective to the learning-teaching process, enables teachers to improve their own
teaching activities in-line with student needs [34]. Reflective teaching, which is con-
sidered to be a significant factor in improving students’ learning habits and in the
cooperation among teachers [35], also plays an important role in training teacher
candidates. Reflection, which is particularly useful in helping teacher candidates to
think like a teacher, is viewed as an inseparable component of teacher training [36]. In
the same study authors emphasize that there are a very limited number of studies
conducted to answer the query: “how to teach reflection”. Harford and MacRuairc
[43] state that although most teachers are aware of the origins and the development of

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the implementation of reflection and its significance, they are inexperienced in im-
plementing it themselves. In this regard, it is believed that this study, which presents
reflective implementations, will benefit teacher candidates and will contribute to the
teaching profession.

3 Method

This study is a mixed method in which qualitative and quantitative data are used
together. The study was designed according to pre-test post-test research model with
experimental and control groups. Table 1 illustrates the design of the study.

Table 1. Research Design

Group Pre-test Implementation Post-test
Augmented reality and reflec- Reflective learning scale
Experimental Reflective learning scale
tive activities Interviews
Control Reflective learning scale Reflective activities Reflective learning scale

62 students studying at the Computer Education and Instructional Technology de-

partment and taking the hardware course participated in the study. Students were
assigned to experimental and control groups by looking at the last two digits of their
student numbers; students’ whose student number ended in an even number were
assigned to the control group and students who had an odd number were assigned to
the experimental group. Thus, there were 30 teacher candidates in the experimental
group and 32 in the control group. 32% of the study participants were female and
68% were male. The teacher candidates, who were on average 22 years of age, will
work at secondary school level institutions after they graduate. In order to identify the
impact of reflective teaching methods, assisted with Augmented Reality, on the teach-
er candidates’ reflective thinking skills, a “Reflective Thinking” scale and “Online
Journals” were used, and an “interview form” was used to identify the teacher candi-
dates’ feelings and views regarding the execution of the hardware course using AR.

3.1 Reflective thinking scale

This study, which AR applications were implemented, aimed to identify the influ-
ence of AR activities on teacher candidates’ reflective thinking skills. In the study, the
“reflective thinking scale” developed in the year 2000 by Kember and friends [37],
was used. The scale consists of 4 dimensions and 16 statements; the dimensions are as
follows: “habitual action (1-5-9-13)”, “understanding (2-6-10-14)”, “reflection (3-7-
11-15)” and “critical reflection (4-8-12-16)”. Perkowska-Klejman [38] reflection
levels have been explained in the following table. In addition, the whole scale’s
Cronbach's alpha value was calculated as (0.89). These item features are on a 5-point
response scale (1 = definitely disagree; 5 = definitely agree). Some of the statements
in the scale are as follows: Habitual actions: “In this course, we do things so many
times that I have started doing them without thinking”, Understanding: “I need to

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understand the material taught by the teacher in order to perform practical tasks.”
Reflection: “I like to think over what I have been doing and consider alternative ways
of doing it”, Critical Reflection: “During this course, I discovered flaws in what I had
previously believed to be right”. The scale was used to determine both groups’ reflec-
tive thinking skills prior to and also after the study. The Repeated Measures ANOVA
technique was used in the analysis of the data obtained from the scale. The values
obtained from the analysis were interpreted with a significance level of 0.05.

Table 2. Description levels of reflections [38]

Level of student’s Description of the level of reflection
reflexivity
Activity that is learnt through frequent, automatically use.
Habitual action “In professional practice, habitual action occurs when a procedure is followed with-
out significant thought about it.”[37]
Thoughtful activity of individuals in which they use their existing knowledge and
achieve comprehension of different subjects or phenomena. In this case, there is an
Understanding
attempt to understand the topic or concept. Most students begin at this level. In their
writing they rely heavily on what the textbook or teacher has said.
The critique and appraisal of assumptions about the content or process of problem
solving. At this level, students not only have accurate understanding, they reflect on
Reflection
that understanding and are able to relate it to personal experiences, or they make
practical applications.
This highest level of reflection implies the transformation of a perspective. Teachers
should not expect this level of reflection early or often while students are developing
Critical reflection their reflective skills. Students start by recognizing their beliefs and accompanying
assumptions. Something (new information, new experiences) disrupts that belief
system, thereby forcing students to reconstruct or reform it.

3.2 Interview form

At the end of the process, in order to determine teacher candidates’ views on the
application, a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers was used
with the candidates who took the Augmented Reality assisted hardware course. On
the form, there are questions to identify the effectiveness and difficulties of Augment-
ed Reality applications. To ensure content validity, the questions in the form were
prepared by referring to the related literature. In order to ensure clarity and suitability
of the interview questions, five experts were consulted and necessary adjustments
were made in light of their feedback. Interviews were carried out with 15 volunteer
teacher candidates. To ensure that there was no loss of data during the interviews,
they were recorded and later transcribed. The data obtained was analyzed using the
in-depth content analysis method with the Nvivo 10 programme. To ensure the relia-
bility of the qualitative data obtained the critical friends approach was used. One of
the researchers analyzed the texts and the other one double-checked them. Yet, anoth-
er researcher who was not involved in the study was requested to perform triangula-
tion.

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3.3 Preparation of Augmented Reality activities and online journals

Küçük et al. [39] in their study, state that there are two types of AR which are:
marker based and Global Positioning System-based (GPS). While GPS based systems
have three components consisting of area and image descriptor devices, marker-based
applications consist of 3 fundamental components which are: a book in which the
markers are located, a device that converts the information in the markers into a digi-
tal domain and a screen showing a digital data in 3D or 2D. In this study, video and
marker based AR technologies were used. A free application, Aurasma, was used as
the augmented reality application. Aurasma enables 3D models and animations to be
loaded on trackers like shapes and photos. An Aurasma-equipped mobile device,
using the camera, scans and reads surroundings and presents the user with 3D videos
and animations. Some of the three-dimensional hardware models were found on the
net and downloaded and ones that could not be found were developed by the re-
searchers. In the development of these 3D models Photoshop, Flash Mx and 3Ds Max
were used.
These 3D models were integrated into previously prepared animations and videos
using Aurasma. Markers related to specified topics were used. The 3D visuals which
were downloaded from the net and later improved by the researchers can be turned
around to be perceived from different angles and their dimensions can be changed.
The course notes containing the markers were put into course handbooks which were
prepared using Cliptomize, which can be accessed via the net for free of charge. The
markers to be read were integrated into the handbooks. Figure 1 shows an example of
the book which was prepared and the 3D visuals.

Fig. 1. An example from the developed book and 3D image when scanning

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In the study as well as Augmented Reality applications, reflective learning tasks

were implemented. For the reflective learning tasks, the “journal plug-in” application
was integrated into Moodle. Journal plug-in allows teachers to ask students to reflect
on the course content. Students can edit and refine their replies and comments when-
ever they want.

3.4 Implementation

At the beginning of the study, the “reflective learning” scale was administered to
both groups as a pre-test to determine whether both groups’ learning skills were equal
or not. The data obtained from reflective learning scale was analyzed and it was iden-
tified that both groups were similar in this sense. In order to ensure reliability, in both
groups, the process was conducted by only one of the researchers. In the study which
extended over an 8-week period, Moodle was used in both groups and the lessons
were supplemented with reflective learning tasks. At the end of each lesson, the
teacher candidates reported their experiences and queries related to the subject. Like-
wise, before starting to write their reflective diaries the teacher candidates were re-
quired to ask themselves questions similar to the following ones: “What did I see?,
what did I learn?, what did I hear?, what can I do about …?”.Moreover, the instructor
asked the teacher candidates to answer the following questions in the order that they
appear: “Can you explain what you learned in the lesson?”, “Could you write how
you learnt?” and “Can you evaluate your learning style and strategies?” Hence, the
teacher candidates recorded what they had learnt and simultaneously reflected on their
own learning. Furthermore, the researcher shared questions related to the subject
studied in class via Moodle ensuring that the teacher candidates thought about these
questions and wrote a report including their learning reflections.
Similarly, during the class hours, not only the researcher but also the teacher can-
didates asked each other and the researcher’s questions. The researcher gave constant
feedback, both positive and negative, on the reports on reflective learning in the
online journals. The teacher candidates were not given any training on using Moodle.
As the department’s regulations enforce the use of Moodle in all course students were
familiar with the system. The online journal, which was added to the system via a
plug-in, was introduced during the first lesson. Deadlines were announced to teacher
candidates in both groups via Moodle. Moreover, the researcher set the homework
tasks via Moodle and collected them from the teacher candidates, on the submission
date.
Teacher Candidates’ Roles and Tasks in Experimental Group: The course book
that was designed by the researchers and the Aurasma application were downloaded
by the teacher candidates. Throughout the term, the teacher candidates were required
to watch 3D visuals and educational animations by read the markers on books with
Aurasma. Throughout 8 weeks, the teacher candidates with their cooperative groups
of 3-4 persons watched videos that were integrated into books where differently
equipped solutions present. At the end of the 8-week, the teacher candidates were
asked differently equipped problems and required to find solutions. The teacher can-
didates produced solutions and presented their reports in the classroom environment

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by working with the cooperative learning groups. Doing this enabled targeted activi-
ties to be more effective.
Teacher Candidates’ Roles and Tasks in Control Group: The teacher candidates in
the control group attended the courses in a lab setting throughout 8 weeks. At the end
of this 8 week duration, the teacher candidates were asked differently equipped prob-
lems and required to find solutions. The teacher candidates produced solutions and
presented their reports in the classroom environment by working with the cooperative
learning groups.
At the end of the study, the “reflective learning” scale was administered once
again, as a post-test, in order to determine if there had been a rise in both groups’
reflective learning skills.

4 Results

The findings of this study, which aimed to identify the impact of augmented reality
applications on students’ reflective learning skills and determine student opinions
regarding augmented reality, are as presented below. The data analysis findings ob-
tained from the reflective learning skills scale administered to the experimental and
control groups, both before and after the implementation of the Augmented Reality
and reflective learning tasks, were analyzed in the table below.

Table 3. Means for Pre-Post Test for both groups

Habitual Actions Understanding Reflection Critical Reflection
Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
Pre- Control 3.1719 .48125 2.5156 .45763 2.8594 .41122 2.3750 .44450
test Augmented 3.0833 .42717 2.6583 .31131 2.8500 .16867 2.3417 .37990
Post Control 3.0781 .37801 2.9688 .27496 3.3203 .30608 3.2266 .27208
Test Augmented 3.1333 .36397 2.9417 .36367 3.6250 .42421 3.6167 .36984

As it can be seen from the table above, prior to the study the two groups’ scores
obtained from the four dimensions were close to one another. It was identified that,
prior to implementing Augmented Reality and reflective learning tasks, students ob-
tained the highest score from the habitual actions dimension. According to this, it can
be said that students act on the habitual actions step, and while demonstrating learn-
ing, they repeat behaviors they have already acquired. Moreover, it can be said that
while students assessed the problem-solving process, they were able to decide on the
best solution; however, they did not acknowledge the hypotheses. After the imple-
mentation of Augmented Reality and reflective learning tasks to the students in both
groups, it was observed that there was an increase in all of the dimensions except for
in the habitual actions dimension. This was an expected outcome as reflective learn-
ing tasks were implemented in both groups. However, in order to determine whether
Augmented Reality applications have an influence on reflective learning, Repeated
Measures analysis was employed to the obtained data. It was determined that there
was no difference between the groups’ pre-test-post-test scores in the Habitual actions

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(F =1.037, p>0.05) and Understanding (F =1.981, p>0.05) levels. However,

1-60 1-60
according to the findings after the study, there was a significant difference between
the groups’ scores in reflective thinking (F =7.600, p<0.05) and critical reflective
1-60
(F =13.997, p<0.05) levels. According to these findings, it can be said that supple-
1-60
menting reflective learning tasks with Augmented Reality applications have a positive
impact on Reflective and Critical Reflective skills. It was also determined that at the
end of the course, students experience a change in the way they viewed themselves
and that they were able to give up behaviors which they adhered to. Furthermore,
according to the findings, students who had claimed that their class notes were suffi-
cient to study for a subject after the study expressed that their notes alone were not
adequate enough. In short, it can be said that Augmented Reality applications do not
increase habitual actions but higher level skills: reflective and critical reflective learn-
ing.
Descriptive analysis was employed to the online journal contents in order to identi-
fy which reflective thinking dimensions the teacher candidates were using while com-
pleting the tasks in the online journals. The teacher candidates’ statements were cate-
gorized according to the reflective teaching scale, to identify which dimension they
were related to. When the online journals were analyzed in depth, it was seen that all
of the teacher candidates receiving an augmented reality assisted education, had en-
tered the system. There were a total 180 entries. On average, the teacher candidates
had each uploaded 6 entries during the 8 weeks. While in the first week there were
only a few entries, the number of entries increased in the following weeks. Due to two
participants’ online journals not being in line with the study’s intended target, they
were disregarded; and thus, 165 entries were analyzed as part of the study.

Table 4. Opinions on reflective dimensions

f
Habitual Actions 14
Understanding 45
Reflective 121
Critical Reflective 49

As it can be seen from the table above, the teacher candidates reflected on all di-
mensions of reflective thinking. It can be said that the teacher candidates mainly ex-
hibited the reflective thinking manner. When the findings attained from the online
journals are examined, it can be said that they correspond to the data obtained from
the reflective learning scale. The difference is that according to the findings attained
from the scale the teacher candidates’ reflective and critical reflective skills were
more or less at the same level; whereas, based on the descriptive analysis it can be
said that the teacher candidates used critical reflective skills more often than reflective
thinking. Below are some samples of teacher candidates’ entries according to the
different dimensions:

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St2: “I studied the hardware book given to us this week via my mobile phone as in-
structed by my instructor”.

St8: “This week, as every other week, we scanned the markers on the pages our in-
structor specified with our mobile devices and watched the videos and 3Ds”.

These comments made by St2 and St8 were evaluated under the habitual actions
dimension. As it can be seen the teacher candidates progressed according to instruc-
tions given by the instructor. However, as seen in the table there were not many ha-
bitual actions comments, moreover, statements which fell into the habitual actions
dimension were mainly given in the first two weeks.

St12: “To watch the 3D models and videos you need to understand the applica-
tions the instructor is talking about…”.

St20: “Today in the lesson our instructor used the demonstration method. Later on,
our instructor asked us to read the books that were specially compiled for us on our
phones and watch some videos, at the end of the lesson there was a question-answer
session.”

St12 and St20’s reflective writings from the online journals were analyzed under
the understanding dimension because as seen in the samples above St12 stated the
need to understand the applications the instructor talks about and St20 explained the
methods and strategies used in the class.

St14: “Today we learnt about Serial, USB and Parallel ports. The instructor asked
about the differences between these ports. We tried to answer from what we knew.
Because of our responses, the instructor asked us to read the markers on the relevant
page and study the 3D view of the ports. Thus, we found out what the difference was
by inquisitively studying the 3D models and the required information. We engaged in
the lesson because of the question and answer method”.

St4: “In the lesson today we learnt how to place RAMs into the slots on the main-
board. The instructor taking into account the different learning styles in class, first,
asked us to watch the videos and then explained the subject using the demonstration
method. She explained the types of RAMs in detail and how they are placed into slots
and to ensure that we all understood what she explained, she made all students follow
the steps. Thus, we actively participated in the lesson”.

These statements, where the teacher candidates explain and interpret the instruc-
tor’s actions to ensure active participation and which they state the outcome as well as
justifying the use of the instructor’s methods and teaching strategies, were associated
with the reflective dimension.

St26: “In order to learn how to assemble the hardware parts as a group we put to-
gether the system unit which was disassembled. I maintained an effective communica-
tion flow within my group. The instructor asked us some questions now and then. Yet,
I realized that I didn’t exactly know the differences between the types of RAMs”.

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St29: “While presenting our projects I felt anxious and I couldn’t use my voice ef-
fectively, so I found it difficult to maintain my classmates’ attention. I spent days on
preparing my presentation on the importance of Hardware and Software. I used
presentation software and tried to do my best by bearing in mind the principles of
giving a presentation which I had learnt in my courses. In fact, I had planned to show
animations using Aurasma, the Augmented Reality application we used in this course.
But, because of my anxiety, my presentation didn’t go as I would have liked”.

These reflective statements were evaluated under the critical reflection dimension
because the teacher candidate, reflected on an experience and explained what hap-
pened with justifications and realized he made some mistakes and included self-
criticism.
The findings from the interviews, which aimed to determine the advantages and
challenges regarding AR applications carried out with students who took the comput-
er hardware course for 8 weeks, were categorized according to their themes and pre-
sented in a table.

Table 5. Advantages and challenges of AR applications

Theme Code f
Enhance enjoyment 15
Increase motivation 13
Advantages
Increase interest 11
Help to understand 11
Technical problems 5
Challenges
Expensive technology 2

The teacher candidates who took the computer hardware course with Augmented
Reality technologies stated that they were extremely satisfied with the tasks imple-
mented. Furthermore, the teacher candidates, who mainly gave positive feedback on
the reflective learning tasks assisted with augmented reality, stated that Augmented
Reality applications were intriguing and they had fun while learning.

St2: “I can say that in this course, where we had books specially designed for
augmented reality and which in activities were carried out via our phones, was much
more enjoyable than other courses. Moreover, the diaries which in we explained what
we did in the course and where we shared our opinions improved our writing experi-
ence”.

St17: “We had a really dense timetable, so we really looked forward to courses
which used different applications; we had fun and learnt at the same time.”

When we analyze student comments, we can say that they regard Augmented Real-
ity applications as fun and interesting. Moreover, most of the students stated that
using Augmented Reality applications in the hardware course increased their motiva-
tion and made the course easier to follow.

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St22: “After our instructor gave us the theory of the content of the lesson, she sup-
plemented it with 3Ds and animations with AR; this made learning a lot easier. I
believe that we will make fewer mistakes when we put this knowledge into practice”.

St3: “AR applications increased student motivation. By using animations with AR

applications we watched how to assemble a main card before actually doing it and
this made learning easy and we were able to do the necessary additions to the main
cards without making any mistakes. Completing a flawless assembly is an important
skill as mistakes can damage computer parts.”

When the teacher candidates were asked about the challenges they experienced
while using Augmented Reality applications in their Computer Hardware course, they
stated that they did not face many difficulties and the difficulties they did experience
were technical. They also stated that AR applications were expensive.

St11: “We did not really experience many difficulties while using AR applications,
sometimes we had to use our own 3Gs as we could not connect to the internet in the
labs”.

St9: “In this application, which we enjoyed using, our phones were not sufficient
or when we were out of the classroom we had difficulty scanning the markers because
of the reflection of light”.

St5: “Although Augmented Reality applications are useful, they are an expensive
technology. We needed phones with a good camera and screen and we needed to have
3G when we were working out of school; apart from these, the application was easy
to use. We only experienced some difficulties while scanning the markers.”

As it can be seen from the explanations it can be said that the implementation of
Augmented Reality applications in the Computer Hardware course was fun, interest-
ing, motivating and it also made learning the subjects simpler and lessened the chance
of making a mistake. When the challenges of Augmented Reality applications are
analyzed, it can be said that internet connection, technical difficulties in scanning the
markers due to light reflections and the expense are the main ones.

5 Discussion and Conclusion

A total of 62 Computer Education and Instructional Technology students partici-

pated in this study in experimental and control groups, for 8 weeks using AR applica-
tions in their Computer Hardware course. The study aims to determine teacher candi-
dates’ views and the effect of Augmented Reality – a technology which enables ob-
jects from the real world to merge with virtual ones interacting synchronously – on
reflective learning when implemented with reflective learning tasks.
The results of the study indicate that AR applications have a positive impact on re-
flective learning skills and are proven useful when implemented in a computer hard-
ware course. It was observed that teacher candidates’ whose reflective learning skills

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were studied in the experimental and control groups Reflective and Critical Reflective
skills improved. The findings suggest that in both the experimental and in the control
group, reflective thinking was the most frequently used way of thinking. In their study
Kember et. al. [37] revealed that critical reflective emerges when the reasons for a
particular action or when assumptions are being explored; thus reflection is the stage
which occurs the most while not being observed much. In this study, it can be said
that the experimental groups’ Reflective and Critical Reflective skills, which were
supplemented with AR applications, were significantly higher. There was an increase
in both groups skills because the reflective learning tasks were implemented in both,
however, it can be said that AR applications have a greater impact on reflective learn-
ing skills. In a study conducted in the year 2008 [15], it is claimed that reflective
learning tasks also have a positive impact on the teacher candidates’ performances.
Çi!dem and Kurt [40] in their study on blogs reached similar results. As a result, both
AR applications and reflective learning tasks are effective in teacher training and
education.
Another finding is teacher candidates were satisfied with the Augmented Reality
applications. The results suggest that the Augmented Reality applications developed
for the hardware course were extremely enjoyable, motivating and intriguing. Bicen
and Bal [10] in their study regarding AR applications’ effects on student success in
hardware courses, came to the conclusion that the AR group achieved higher. As it
can be seen from this study, even though achievement rates were not considered, AR
applications had a positive impact on teacher candidates’ views. Another author [41]
states that implementing different types of materials affects student roles positively.
Another result derived from the study is that students who took the hardware course
supplemented by Augmented Reality applications learnt the subject easier and made
no mistakes while assembling the hardware. In a similar study revealed that students
using AR technologies spent less time while assembling a main card and made fewer
mistakes when compared to students who had not [42].
When the findings regarding the challenges experienced while implementing
Augmented Reality applications in the hardware course are analyzed, it is revealed
that these are internet connection, camera quality and the requirement of a fee. In
further studies, the markers used in the AR applications can be simpler, thus, they will
be able to be scanned with lower quality cameras and the expenses will be reduced. It
is foreseen that any technical errors that occur during the process of the study will be
caused by the usage of different types of devices. In a study [18] indicated that using
different types of devices for AR applications can cause more technical problems.
As a result, in this study where Augmented Reality applications assisted with re-
flective learning skills were implemented in a computer hardware course, teacher
candidates generally reported positive views and suggestions regarding AR applica-
tions. AR has a great potential as a means of highlighting interesting features via
multimedia content on mobile devices. However, as in all studies, this study had its
limitations. The most important limitation was implementing AR applications only in
a computer hardware course. Further studies could be conducted to determine its
effect in other courses. Moreover, areas of AR applications which have not been re-
searched at secondary school level can be identified and studied and the teacher as-

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Paper—An Emerging Technology: Augmented Reality to Promote Learning

pect can be included. Furthermore, it is recommended that in further studies in this

field, researchers can take this study’s findings into account.

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7 Authors

Fezile Ozdamli is with the head of Department of Computer Education & Instruc-
tional Technology, Near East University, P.O. Box: 99138, Nicosia, North Cyprus (e-
mail: [email protected])
Cigdem Hursen works as an associate professor at Near East University. In Octo-
ber 2013, she was appointed to be the chairperson of the department of Social Scienc-
es of Near East University, Atatürk Education Faculty. In the same year, she was also
appointed as the chairperson of the department of Measurement and Evaluation. She
is also one of the board members of the Association of Cyprus Educational Sciences.

Article submitted 27 June 2017. Published as resubmitted by the authors 15 August 2017.

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