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Comparing virtual and location-based augmented reality mobile learning: emotions and learning outcomes

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Abstract

Research on the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) on learning exists, but there is a paucity of empirical work that explores the role that positive emotions play in supporting learning in such settings. To address this gap, this study compared undergraduate students’ emotions and learning outcomes during a guided historical tour using mobile AR applications. Data was collected in a laboratory (Study 1; N = 13) and outdoors (Study 2; N = 18) from thirty-one undergraduate students at a large North American university. Our findings demonstrated that learners were able to effectively and enjoyably learn about historical differences between past and present historical locations by contextualizing their visual representations, and that the two mobile AR apps were effective both in and outside of the laboratory. Learners were virtually situated in the historical location in Study 1 and physically visited the location in Study 2. In comparing results between studies, findings revealed that learners were able to identify more differences outdoors and required less scaffolding to identify differences. Learners reported high levels of enjoyment throughout both studies, but more enjoyment and less boredom in the outdoor study. Eye tracking results from Study 1 indicated that learners frequently compared historical information by switching their gaze between mobile devices and a Smart Board, which virtually situated them at the historical location. Results enhance our understanding of AR applications’ effectiveness in different contexts (virtual and location-based). Design recommendations for mobile AR apps are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The research presented in this paper has been supported by a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship for Doctoral research from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and a postdoctoral fellowship from the Fonds Québécois de recherche—Société et culture (FQRSC) awarded to the first author. This research has also been supported by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada awarded to the fifth author and a doctoral fellowship from the Fonds Québécois de recherche—Société et culture (FQRSC) awarded to the fourth author. The authors would like to thank Laura Pipe, Emilia Gonzalez, Kexin Li, Mikaela Morton, and Hasagani Tissera for assisting in running participants, coding, and transcribing data. The authors would also like to thank Kevin Kee, Reza Feyzi-Behnagh, Gregory Trevors, and Daniel Beaudin for their feedback on the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta Edmonton, 6-102 Education North, Alberta, QC, T6G 2G5, Canada

    Jason M. Harley

  2. Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, 3700 McTavish Street 614, Montréal, QC, H3A 1Y2, Canada

    Jason M. Harley, Amanda Jarrell, Melissa C. Duffy & Susanne P. Lajoie

  3. Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal, 2920 Chemin de la Tour, Pavillon André-Aisenstadt 2194, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Jason M. Harley

  4. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Utah, 1721 Campus Center Drive SAEC 3220, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-8914, USA

    Eric G. Poitras

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Correspondence to Jason M. Harley.

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Harley, J.M., Poitras, E.G., Jarrell, A. et al. Comparing virtual and location-based augmented reality mobile learning: emotions and learning outcomes. Education Tech Research Dev 64, 359–388 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-015-9420-7

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