Exploring the Effectiveness and Moderators of Augmented Reality on Science Learning: a Meta-analysis

The use of augmented reality (AR) technology in the science curriculum has the potential to assist students in comprehending abstract and complex concepts or unobservable phenomena, as well as to better explain knowledge regarding science content by superimposing virtual objects over genuine items or environments in a multidimensional approach. However, the overall effects on students’ academic achievement of using AR technology in scientific courses and the key factors that influence such effects are still unclear. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis in this work to systematically review 35 empiric trials (with 39 effect sizes) that used experimental or quasi-experimental approaches to determine the academic achievement of using AR techniques in science-related courses. In addition, we explored possible moderators such as differences in disciplines, educational stages, types of AR (marker-based, markerless-based, or location-based), display devices (mobiles, tablets, computers, or headsets), intervention duration, group size, and instructional strategies. The results revealed that the overall mean effect size (with AR into instruction vs without AR into instruction) was 0.737 under the random effects model, indicating a medium-to-large significant positive effect on students’ academic achievement. The disciplines had significant moderating effects, types of AR had marginally significant effects, while educational stages, display devices, intervention duration, group size, and strategies used had insignificant influence. The impact of AR technology on scientific education was discussed in connection to the above seven moderators.