The Effect of Augmented Reality on Achievement and Spatial Visualization Skills in Technical Drawing Course

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of using the technical visual arts lessons’ material on visualization skills and attitudes. For this purpose, an augmented reality application called BTRS was designed. The application was created using Unity3D, 3Ds Max, and Vuforia programs. The study was conducted for eight weeks, with a total of 33 students (26 boys and seven girls) attending a vocational and technical high school. The study was designed based on Creswell’s sequential explanatory design. While a semi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group was conducted for the quantitative part of the study, semi-structured interviews were used for the qualitative component. “Lappan Spatial Visualization Skill Scale," “Purdue Spatial Skill Scale," “AR Attitude Scale,” and semi-structured interview form were used at the beginning and the end of the application. The Mann-Whitney U, paired-samples t-test, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for quantitative data. Qualitative data were analyzed by the descriptive analysis method. The study results indicated that the Augmented Reality Application did not significantly affect the achievement of the students and their spatial visualization skills. However, it has been observed that students’ excitement and curiosity increased. The students reported that the material was enjoyable, fun, attractive, remarkable, helpful, easy to use, understandable, and persistent. Rotating, zooming, and moving interactive digital models and buttons in the real world have attracted the students. The experimental group described abstract concepts and required spatial thinking skills to be more explicit and more practical.