The Influence of Augmented Reality Embedding Cognitive Scaffolds on Elementary Students’ Scientific Learning

Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) can enhance students’ learning performance by visualizing abstract concepts. However, most AR applications in the classrooms just simply show virtualreal combined scenes without deeply integrated with learning materials. In that case, students would always have a lot of difficulties to construct knowledge by themselves. This study developed an AR application embedding cognitive scaffolds to help students better construct the scientific knowledge and explore the impact of those s cognitive scaffolds on students learning. A quasi-experimental method was used by dividing 42 students into three groups randomly, to investigate students’ scientific achievements, learning experience and cognitive load. Students in experimental group 1 learned with AR without the support of cognitive scaffolds, and students in experimental group 2 learned with AR embedding cognitive scaffolds, while students in the control group learned with traditional method. Semi-structured interview was conducted after class. It is found that teaching with AR technology could significantly improve students’ scientific achievements and learning experience. Compared with AR application without the support of cognitive scaffolds, AR with cognitive scaffolds has no significant impact on students’ scientific achievements, learning experience, and cognitive load. Students in both experimental groups have better learning experience and lower cognitive load. The interview results revealed four advantages of AR technology: promoting students’ cognition, having positive learning emotions, improving students’ ability of hands-on and observation, convenient to use. And students’ different attitudes towards the cognitive scaffolds were found in the interview, which might explain why the effects of cognitive scaffolds are not very significant.