Enhancing Science learning through molecular visualization using AR

Outline

The presentation will include

- Introduction of the presentation, mentioning the importance of fostering interest in science in young people, as well as implementing technology in the learning process (5 minutes).
- Slides showing the process in which the students chose the products to investigate, the investigation of the chemical components and the application of AR technology (30 minutes).
- The speakers will show the results obtained and their conclusions, allowing the audience to scan the QR codes that allow them to visualize the chemical component studied in each selected product (25 minutes).

Supporting research

The implementation of Augmented Reality (AR) as a pedagogical tool in K-12 education is an important topic worthy of exploration. The fusion of technology and learning has enabled the development of educational applications and experiences that enrich teaching with visual and practical elements, improving the way the students interact with the academic content.

AR has emerged as an effective and engaging tool in K-12 education, demonstrating improvements in students’ comprehension and retention of information. These benefits are linked to increased dynamism and interest, as well as the well-documented boost in student motivation when AR is implemented with an appropriate pedagogical design (Amores-Valencia et al., 2022; Na & Yun, 2024; Sakr & Abdullah, 2024; Tsekhmister et al., 2021).

Although these techniques have been observed at higher education levels, studies on the application of AR in K-12 education are increasing. This suggests that familiarity with these technologies will be essential for students’ academic futures (Sakr & Abdullah, 2024).

In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) institutions, one of the primary methods for employing AR is through marker-based systems, where 3D models are displayed using specific markers, such as QR codes (Hidayat & Wardat, 2024).

AR has proved to be quite successful in translating abstract topics, especially scientific concepts such as chemistry. There are also platforms that offer 3D visualization of atomic and molecular models as well as experiences that simulate chemical experiments (Verdejo, 2021), such as "AR carbon hybridizations," which supports learning by allowing molecules to be viewed on mobile devices (Urzúa-Reyes, 2022).

Another example is the “AR Chemistry app”, which enables 3D visualization of chemical elements using markers; however, this app is currently unavailable (Vegas, 2018), which highlights an important problem with the accessibility to this kind of tools (Tsekhmister et al., 2021).

The development of these digital tools often involves the use of advanced software such as Unity and Vuforia (Koumpouros, 2024), which may not be accessible to all teachers, presenting a significant limitation to consider, which is a significant concern considering that the use of AR as a pedagogical tool has been showed a good impact in the teaching process (Sakr & Abdullah, 2024).

Accessibility presents an important issue when considering impact on various levels of learning, including responsiveness, knowledge and performance (Chang et al., 2022), this impact is particularly notable among students who learn natural science and mathematics using AR compared to those who do not  (Amores-Valencia et al., 2022).

For these reasons, the successful implementation of AR in education still seems to be a big leap in the road of educational reform, as well as the capabilities that this technology offers, which certainly suggests an interesting potential. This is why it is so important to create ways that are as easy and practical as possible, not only for the student but also for the teacher, so that they can focus on truly learning using all their technologies.

FOUNDS OF INFORMATION

Amores-Valencia, A., Burgos, D., & Branch-Bedoya, J. W. (2022). Influence of motivation and academic performance in the use of Augmented Reality in education. A systematic review. *Frontiers in Psychology*, *13*. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1011409

Chang, H.-Y., Binali, T., Liang, J.-C., Chiou, G.-L., Cheng, K.-H., Lee, S. W.-Y., & Tsai, C.-C. (2022). Ten years of augmented reality in education: A meta-analysis of (quasi-) experimental studies to investigate the impact. *Computers & Education*, *191*, 104641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104641

Hidayat, R., & Wardat, Y. (2024). A systematic review of Augmented Reality in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. *Education and Information Technologies*, *29*(8), 9257–9282. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12157-x

Koumpouros, Y. (2024). Revealing the true potential and prospects of augmented reality in education. *Smart Learning Environments*, *11*(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-023-00288-0

Na, H., & Yun, S. (2024). The effect of augmented reality on K-12 students’ motivation: a meta-analysis. *Educational Technology Research and Development*. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10385-7

Sakr, A., & Abdullah, T. (2024). Virtual, augmented reality and learning analytics impact on learners, and educators: A systematic review. *Education and Information Technologies*. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12602-5

Tsekhmister, Y., Kotyk, T., Matviienko, Y., Rudenko, Y., & Ilchuk, V. (2021). La efectividad de la tecnología de realidad aumentada en la educación STEAM. *Apuntes Universitarios*, *12*(1). https://doi.org/10.17162/au.v11i5.932

Urzúa-Reyes, M. D. (2022). *Realidad aumentada para el aprendizaje de la química*. Observatorio Instituto Para El Futuro de La Educación Tecnológico de Monterrey. https://observatorio.tec.mx/edu-bits-blog/realidad-aumentada-para-aprender-quimica/

Vegas, E. (2018). *AR Chemistry o cómo aprender química con realidad aumentada*. EMILUSVGS. https://emiliusvgs.com/ar-chemestry-quimica-realidad-aumentada/

Verdejo, N. (2021). *Aprende química con realidad aumentada*. Wwwhatsnew. https://wwwhatsnew.com/2021/04/09/aprende-quimica-con-realidad-aumentada/