The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work
Augmented Reality (AR) can enhance student-centered lab work by bridging the spatial and temporal split between virtual information and observed real-world phenomena. While the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the Cognitive Load Theory suggest that AR can reduce extraneous cognitive load...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-10-01
|
| Series: | Education Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/11/1161 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846153766793904128 |
|---|---|
| author | Kristin Altmeyer Roland Brünken Jochen Kuhn Sarah Malone |
| author_facet | Kristin Altmeyer Roland Brünken Jochen Kuhn Sarah Malone |
| author_sort | Kristin Altmeyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Augmented Reality (AR) can enhance student-centered lab work by bridging the spatial and temporal split between virtual information and observed real-world phenomena. While the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the Cognitive Load Theory suggest that AR can reduce extraneous cognitive load (ECL) and foster learning, the empirical results remain inconsistent. This re-analysis of three related studies with different target groups and AR devices explores whether learners’ spatial abilities and verbal working memory capacity moderate the effect of AR support in lab work settings on ECL and conceptual knowledge gains. Although these moderators could not be confirmed consistently, the results indicate that tablet-based AR holds the potential to support learners with low spatial abilities. Moreover, low verbal working memory learners were demonstrated to be particularly vulnerable to the spatial contiguity failure that can be caused by smartglasses AR. Moderation effects were only observed for ECL but not for conceptual knowledge gains. The findings highlight that the benefit of AR support can depend on learners’ cognitive prerequisites and additional contextual factors, such as the AR device used and the age of the target group. The design and implementation of AR-supported lab work environments should account for these factors to optimize the learning outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f37ce700081a40b1a045bf076c47f91d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-f37ce700081a40b1a045bf076c47f91d2024-11-26T18:01:10ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022024-10-011411116110.3390/educsci14111161The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab WorkKristin Altmeyer0Roland Brünken1Jochen Kuhn2Sarah Malone3Department of Education, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, GermanyDepartment of Education, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, GermanyFaculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), 80539 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Education, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, GermanyAugmented Reality (AR) can enhance student-centered lab work by bridging the spatial and temporal split between virtual information and observed real-world phenomena. While the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the Cognitive Load Theory suggest that AR can reduce extraneous cognitive load (ECL) and foster learning, the empirical results remain inconsistent. This re-analysis of three related studies with different target groups and AR devices explores whether learners’ spatial abilities and verbal working memory capacity moderate the effect of AR support in lab work settings on ECL and conceptual knowledge gains. Although these moderators could not be confirmed consistently, the results indicate that tablet-based AR holds the potential to support learners with low spatial abilities. Moreover, low verbal working memory learners were demonstrated to be particularly vulnerable to the spatial contiguity failure that can be caused by smartglasses AR. Moderation effects were only observed for ECL but not for conceptual knowledge gains. The findings highlight that the benefit of AR support can depend on learners’ cognitive prerequisites and additional contextual factors, such as the AR device used and the age of the target group. The design and implementation of AR-supported lab work environments should account for these factors to optimize the learning outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/11/1161augmented realityscience educationlab workcognitive loadindividual differencesspatial ability |
| spellingShingle | Kristin Altmeyer Roland Brünken Jochen Kuhn Sarah Malone The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work Education Sciences augmented reality science education lab work cognitive load individual differences spatial ability |
| title | The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work |
| title_full | The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work |
| title_short | The Role of Cognitive Learner Prerequisites for Cognitive Load and Learning Outcomes in AR-Supported Lab Work |
| title_sort | role of cognitive learner prerequisites for cognitive load and learning outcomes in ar supported lab work |
| topic | augmented reality science education lab work cognitive load individual differences spatial ability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/11/1161 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kristinaltmeyer theroleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT rolandbrunken theroleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT jochenkuhn theroleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT sarahmalone theroleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT kristinaltmeyer roleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT rolandbrunken roleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT jochenkuhn roleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork AT sarahmalone roleofcognitivelearnerprerequisitesforcognitiveloadandlearningoutcomesinarsupportedlabwork |