Measuring teachers’ competencies for a purposeful use of augmented reality experiments in physics lessons

Abstract

Nowadays, teachers are facing a more and more digitized world, as digital tools are being used by their students on a daily basis. This requires digital competencies in order to react in a professional manner to individual and societal challenges and to teach the students a purposeful use of those tools. Regarding the subject (e.g., STEM), this purpose includes specific content aspects, like data processing, or modeling and simulations of complex scientific phenomena. Yet, both pre-service and experienced teachers often consider their digital teaching competencies insufficient and wish for guidance in this field. Especially regarding immersive tools like augmented reality (AR), they do not have a lot of experience, although their willingness to use those modern tools in their lessons is high. The digital tool AR can target another problem in science lessons: students and teachers often have difficulties with understanding and creating scientific models. However, these are a main part of the scientific way of acquiring knowledge and are therefore embedded in curricula. With AR, virtual visualizations of model aspects can be superimposed on real experimental backgrounds in real time. It can help link models and experiments, which usually are not part of the same lesson and are perceived differently by students. Within the project diMEx (digital competencies in modeling and experimenting), a continuing professional development (CPD) for physics teachers was planned and conducted. Secondary school physics educators were guided in using AR in their lessons and their digital and modeling competencies for a purposeful use of AR experiments were promoted. To measure those competencies, various instruments with mixed methods were developed and evaluated. Among others, the teachers’ digital competencies have been assessed by four experts with an evaluation matrix based on the TPACK model. Technological, technical and design aspects as well as the didactical use of an AR experiment were assessed. The teachers generally demonstrate a high level of competency, especially in the first-mentioned aspects, and have successfully implemented their learnings from the CPD in the (re)design of their AR experiments.

Computational Literacy as an Important Element of a Digitized Science Teacher Education—A Systematic Review of Curriculum Patterns in Physics Teacher Education Degrees in Germany

“…As (prospective) teachers, they often want to adapt to the digital world but often lack sufficient computational literacy, especially with tools like augmented reality. Freese et al [28] show how tools and DPACK can help physics teachers improve their digital and modeling competencies for AR experiments to redesign modeling more creatively as an essential part of science education for learners in a more accessible approach. So, computational literacy skills improve teachers' possibilities of didactically rethinking essential aspects of science education.…”

Integrating immersive technologies with STEM education: a systematic review

“…Subsequent studies, such as those by Çoban et al (2022), Li et al (2022), and Sumardani et al (2023), continue to explore the capacity of AR/VR to enhance understanding and engagement in subjects like mathematics, physics, and material science, stressing the role of these technologies in fostering spatial skills and representational fluency. The evaluation of teacher competencies for using AR in physics lessons by Freese et al (2023) and the development of VR-based educational tools for projectile motion by Cruz et al (2023) further elucidate the educational value of immersive technologies in enhancing STEM learning.…”