eS2MART Teaching and learning material in chemistry: Enhancing spatial skills thru augmented reality technology

Abstract

This study developed a teaching and learning material (TLM) in chemistry entitled eS²MART TLM with integrated augmented reality (AR) technology and assessed its effect on students’ learning gains in terms of spatial skills and students’ learning experience on the use of augmented reality as a tool in understanding atomic theory, chemical bonding and molecular structure. The present study utilized the design based research paradigm in the development of AR-enabled teaching and learning material while the assessment of the effect of using the developed material on learners’ spatial skills employed the pre-experimental single group design. To provide the AR component of the TLM, this study also developed a database of intuitive virtual 3D objects and animations that can be manipulated by tactile controls, a dedicated mobile application software called eS²MART TLM designed to retrieve, display, and control the virtual 3D objects, and unique trackers for each virtual 3D object and animation that were printed in eS²MART TLM. A pretest and posttest using standardized spatial skills test composed of seven Purdue Spatial Visualization Test (PSVT) items and 13 content-specific items were administered to the participants before and after using eS²MART TLM. Using Hake factor test, the study found out that student participants obtained a normalized gain value of 0.50 on the PSVT spatial visualization test which signifies medium learning gain and a normalized gain value of 0.76 on the Content Specific Spatial Skills Test which indicates high learning gain. In terms of learning experience, there is an overall very positive learning experience on the use of augmented reality in eS²MART TLM as implied by the composite mean value of 3.54.