2026-05-21T13:34:22Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/requestoai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-1576852024-12-20T18:25:12Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items157685
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.54933
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
2019
87 pages
Doctoral Dissertation
Academic theses
Text
eng
Henry, Matthew McClellan
Atkinson, Robert K
Johnson-Glenberg, Mina C
Nelson, Brian C
Arizona State University
Doctoral Dissertation Educational Technology 2019
Evidence suggests that Augmented Reality (AR) may be a powerful tool for <br/><br/>alleviating certain, lightly held scientific misconceptions. However, many <br/><br/>misconceptions surrounding the theory of evolution are deeply held and resistant to <br/><br/>change. This study examines whether AR can serve as an effective tool for alleviating <br/><br/>these misconceptions by comparing the change in the number of misconceptions <br/><br/>expressed by users of a tablet-based version of a well-established classroom simulation to <br/><br/>the change in the number of misconceptions expressed by users of AR versions of the <br/><br/>simulation. <br/><br/>The use of realistic representations of objects is common for many AR <br/><br/>developers. However, this contradicts well-tested practices of multimedia design that <br/><br/>argue against the addition of unnecessary elements. This study also compared the use of <br/><br/>representational visualizations in AR, in this case, models of ladybug beetles, to symbolic <br/><br/>representations, in this case, colored circles. <br/><br/>To address both research questions, a one-factor, between-subjects experiment <br/><br/>was conducted with 189 participants randomly assigned to one of three conditions: non<br/><br/>AR, symbolic AR, and representational AR. Measures of change in the number and types <br/><br/>of misconceptions expressed, motivation, and time on task were examined using a pair of <br/><br/>planned orthogonal contrasts designed to test the study’s two research questions. <br/><br/>Participants in the AR-based condition showed a significantly smaller change in <br/><br/>the number of total misconceptions expressed after the treatment as well as in the number <br/><br/>of misconceptions related to intentionality; none of the other misconceptions examined <br/><br/>showed a significant difference. No significant differences were found in the total <br/><br/>number of misconceptions expressed between participants in the representative and <br/><br/>symbolic AR-based conditions, or on motivation. Contrary to the expectation that the <br/><br/>simulation would alleviate misconceptions, the average change in the number of <br/><br/>misconceptions expressed by participants increased. This is theorized to be due to the <br/><br/>juxtaposition of virtual and real-world entities resulting in a reduction in assumed <br/><br/>intentionality.
Educational technology
Augmented Reality
Misconceptions
Mixed reality
Natural selection
Exploring the Efficacy of Using Augmented Reality to Alleviate Common Misconceptions about Natural Selection