Title: Limitless or pointless? An evaluation of augmented reality technology in the school and home

Authors: Rosemary Luckin, Danae Stanton Fraser

Addresses: London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education, University of London, 23-29 Emerald Street, London, WC1N 3QS, UK. ' Department of Psychology, University of Bath, 2 South, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

Abstract: Augmented reality technology appears to offer great potential to engage learners and to enhance the process of knowledge construction. However, very little work has undergone formal evaluation, resulting in a lack of a deep and systematic understanding of how AR can enhance learning. We report an extensive evaluation of an AR application developed by the BBC for young learners. This evaluation involved over 300 participants in their homes and school classrooms. Our findings support the claim that AR has the potential to promote learning and to motivate children to engage with learning activities. There is evidence that specific skills can be improved, that learners were motivated and challenged through the interactive problem solving activities and that the technology offered many opportunities for collaboration. Developers will however need a rich skill set in order to create applications that offer the necessary learner control, challenging interactivity and experience coherence.

Keywords: augmented reality; home; knowledge construction; learner engagement; formal evaluation; schools; classrooms; motivation; collaboration; learner control; BBC; young learners; British Broadcasting Corporation; UK; United Kingdom; children; learning activities; primary education; interactive problems; problem solving; interactivity; skill sets; coherence; software development; software applications; 3D; three dimensions; three dimensional; technology enhanced learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2011.042102

International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2011 Vol.3 No.5, pp.510 - 524

Received: 09 Sep 2010
Accepted: 10 May 2011

Published online: 26 Feb 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article