Technology Report pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Cite This: J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Mobile Augmented Reality Assisted Chemical Education: Insights from Elements 4D Shuxia Yang,† Bing Mei,*,†,‡ and Xiaoyu Yue‡ †
Henan University, 85 Minglun Street, Kaifeng 475001, China University of Auckland, 20 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
‡
ABSTRACT: This technology report aimed to explore preservice chemistry teachers’ perception of mobile augmented reality (MAR) assisted chemical education. To this end, 15 participants were recruited from a Chinese university. They were provided access to an MAR chemistry learning app, Elements 4D, on their own mobile computing devices, and were instructed to complete some self-paced, hands-on activities. Data were collected through classroom observation and semistructured interviews. Subsequent content analyses revealed that participants generally had positive attitude toward the immersive chemistry learning experience. Meanwhile, challenges pertinent to the content knowledge and user experience were also discovered. The findings point out possible directions for more effective uptake of MAR assisted chemical education, and accentuate the importance of pedagogical thinking in developing similar educational apps. KEYWORDS: Elementary/Middle School Science, Public Understanding/Outreach, Computer-Based Learning, Internet/Web-Based Learning, Computational Chemistry
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INTRODUCTION With the recent exponential growth of technology and increasing popularization of mobile computing devices, the integration of mobile augmented reality (MAR) into chemical education has started to gain momentum.1 Prior research findings suggest that the immersive learning experiences afforded by MAR can engage and benefit chemistry learners.2−4 However, there currently exists a lack of understanding of the perception of MAR assisted chemical education from preservice teachers’ perspective. After all, they are the main users of these technologies and will determine the role of technology in their future classroom. Therefore, this study focused on preservice chemistry teachers’ perception and experience of a MAR app designed for chemical education, Elements 4D.5 We hope that findings from this technology report can provide more empirical evidence to inform the current chemistry teacher educators and support future development of MAR assisted chemical education.
atomic weights, and occurrence states of elements shown on the screen (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. Illustration of xenon in Elements 4D. Images used with permission. Copyright 2018 DAQRI.
Moreover, when two elements are placed adjacent to each other, the possible chemical reaction can also be simulated. As is shown in Figure 2, if a user places the paper blocks of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) next to each other, the liquid product (water, H2O), the corresponding chemical equation, and a relevant chemical question (e.g., how many atoms of hydrogen are included in one molecule of water) will appear on the screen. Furthermore, a collection of lesson plans ranging from elementary to high school levels is also provided to cater for different curricular needs.
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ELEMENTS 4D Elements 4D is a free MAR product which provides an innovative way to learn real-life chemistry. The product includes an educational app and a set of six paper blocks consisting of 36 naturally occurring elements of the Periodic Table. To use the product, apart from following the folding instructions to create their own paper blocks, users should also download the app and install it on their mobile computing devices. Through the in-app camera and the paper blocks, users can view a transparent cube, with a specific element’s physical properties including the names, symbols, atomic numbers, © XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
Received: January 7, 2018 Revised: March 21, 2018
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DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00017 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
Technology Report
the app, the physical properties of the elements can be superimposed upon the paper block and viewed through the inapp camera. Such a feature is especially useful for presenting the properties of certain unstable, dangerous, or toxic elements at room temperature such as mercury (Hg). Second, in line with previous research evidence,7 some participants (n = 5) pointed out that, by illustrating some dangerous chemical reactions that need to be completed in a laboratory, the app could help students overcome possible chemophobia and build a positive attitude toward laboratory. For example, it is difficult and dangerous to demonstrate the reaction between the active metal sodium (Na) and toxic gas chlorine (Cl) in the classroom. But with Element 4D, students can observe their reaction in a safe environment. From this perspective, MAR may be adopted as a tool to prepare students for some dangerous chemical experiments to be completed in a real laboratory. Third, some participants (n = 4) mentioned that simulating chemical experiments with the app may be taken as an alternative for quality chemical education at schools in rural areas, which are prone to contextual impediments. For instance, Element 4D, as a vivid supplemental resource, can be considered when expensive chemicals or devices are not readily available. Last but not the least, it should be noted that a large portion of participants (n = 10) talked about the provision of lesson plans along with the product, suggesting that such an arrangement can help users quickly get accustomed to the app, carry out more relevant teaching and learning activities, and make Element 4D an outstanding chemistry learning tool. For example, learners can be instructed to predict the interaction of two given elements, and confirm their prediction independently with the app later. This further accentuated the importance of pedagogical thinking in developing similar MAR educational apps in the future. Alongside with participants’ positive feedback, our direct observation of participants’ actual use of the app also revealed that when completing the predistributed lesson plans, participants were more likely to collaborate. They would work in pairs or small groups so that they can test their predictions easily and share their observations in a timely manner. However, results also revealed some practical limitations of this MAR product. First, some participants (n = 9) mentioned that, in terms of subject matter, the content knowledge included in the app is not professional enough, making it more useful in introducing some basic facts but less outstanding in chemistry teaching of senior levels. Some further (n = 5) pointed out that more visual effects are needed for depicting a real chemical reaction process. In its current version, some fundamental details (e.g., how long it takes for the chemical compounds to form and under what conditions the chemical reaction occurs) are missing. Next, another source of dissatisfaction arose from the fact that the content knowledge covered in the app is not comprehensive enough because only 36 elements are covered in its current form, and only a limited portion of compounds can be illustrated. In addition, the app itself, due to the rapid evolution of technology, is not stable at the moment, which gives rise to compatibility issues. In our study, most participants encountered technical issues with the app, leading to negative user experience.
Figure 2. Illustration of the chemical reaction between hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) in Elements 4D. Images used with permission. Copyright 2018 DAQRI.
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RESEARCH DESIGN Fifteen preservice chemistry teachers enrolled in a teacher training program at a Chinese university were recruited to participate in this study. Before the study started, they were briefed about the purpose of the study and informed that their participation in or withdrawal from the study would not incur rewards or punishment. Group meetings in a classroom were first arranged so that participants could access the MAR app and obtain the activity materials. During the session, participants’ interactions with the chemical education app were directly observed. Furthermore, they were given the Web site to explore the potential of the app by themselves. Two weeks later, semistructured interviews concerning their use, perception, and experience of the chemistry learning app were conducted, digitally recorded, and transcribed. Subsequent thematic content analyses of the interview transcripts and research notes were also conducted to provide a valid account of these preservice chemistry teachers’ perception of the MAR app.
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FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION This technology report focused on the understanding and the experience of using a MAR chemistry learning app, Elements 4D, from preservice teachers’ perspective. Content analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that most participants (n = 12) reported positive attitudes toward the use of Elements 4D for chemical education though technical difficulties were encountered. Subsequent thematic analysis showed that the positive feedback was mainly attributed to the following four aspects. First, similar to prior research findings,6 some participants agreed that the mobile educational product provides direct, interactive, and vivid visualization of the invisible elements, which allows a better understanding of the properties of these elements, and thus reinforces the course content. Specifically, in Elements 4D, each face of a paper block depicts a specific chemical symbol, representing one element of the periodic table. By scanning a specific chemical symbol with
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IMPLICATIONS The findings of the case study have some implications for future uptake of MAR assisted chemical education. First, given B
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00017 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
Technology Report
the positive feedback from preservice teachers, chemistry teacher educators should realize that MAR, as a platform, provides a new direction for technology-aided chemical education. Therefore, they should consider possible ways of infusing MAR with the current teacher training programs. Also, it is suggested that the MAR technology could be used in practical chemistry teaching to inspire teaching and learning interest, and foster creativity and teamwork spirit. Next, during the preservice chemistry teacher training process, various aspects, including technology knowledge, pedagogy knowledge, and content knowledge should be coherently interwoven into the program so that they are sufficiently prepared for technology-aided chemical education in the future. Meanwhile, for chemistry-related educational app developers, they should be aware that, apart from robust and reliable technology, pedagogical thinking is also an important aspect that needs to be well-considered for developing comprehensive chemistryrelated MAR apps.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected]. ORCID
Shuxia Yang: 0000-0002-2460-6096 Bing Mei: 0000-0001-9185-7509 Xiaoyu Yue: 0000-0002-6171-0941 Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thank all participants for their interest in this study and willingness to share their opinions. REFERENCES
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DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00017 J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
