Cognitive Engagement Research Articles

Pathways to motivation and learning in English language education: a case of two youths engaging in multiliteracies

Purpose This study investigates the effect of digital multimodal composing (DMC) on student motivation and literacy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. It explores how students engaged in creating digital animations to respond to literary texts and the implications for integrating DMC into traditional literacy practices. Grounded in social semiotic theory and Self-Determination Theory, this study aims to understand how digital composing influences student engagement, motivation and literacy development. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data were gathered over a six-month period using a combination of student surveys, semi-structured interviews, reflection logs and student-produced scripts/animations. This study focused on two university students who engaged in multimodal projects as part of their extracurricular EFL activities, examining their processes and reflections. Findings Students demonstrated strong intrinsic motivation during DMC processes, largely due to the social affordances provided by digital multimodal composing. By combining traditional literacy skills with digital practices, students experienced enhanced creative expression, enhanced meaning-making and a deeper understanding of literary texts through the production and sharing of animated videos. This process promoted both emotional and cognitive engagement, emphasizing the importance of teacher guidance and digital tools in creating a more dynamic and supportive learning environment. Practical implications This study outlines a practical approach to DMC through a structured process: selecting and reading a book, proposing a change as if requesting it from the author, creating and sharing a video on YouTube to explain the change and reflecting on the experience. This approach can guide educators in designing activities that deepen student engagement, enhance critical thinking and integrate digital tools with traditional learning methods. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of how digital technologies can transform traditional literacy practices, offering insights into the benefits of multimodal composition for language learning and motivation in EFL contexts. It provides practical examples of how students and teachers can leverage digital tools to enhance literacy education and prepare students for 21st-century challenges.

Effect of Stimulus Regularities on Eye Movement Characteristics

Humans have the unique ability to discern spatial and temporal regularities in their surroundings. However, the effect of learning these regularities on eye movement characteristics has not been studied enough. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the frequency of occurrence and the presence of common chunks in visual images on eye movement characteristics like the fixation duration, saccade amplitude and number, and gaze number across sequential experimental epochs. The participants had to discriminate the patterns presented in pairs as the same or different. The order of pairs was repeated six times. Our results show an increase in fixation duration and a decrease in saccade amplitude in the sequential epochs, suggesting a transition from ambient to focal information processing as participants acquire knowledge. This transition indicates deeper cognitive engagement and extended analysis of the stimulus information. Interestingly, contrary to our expectations, the saccade number increased, and the gaze number decreased. These unexpected results might imply a reduction in the memory load and a narrowing of attentional focus when the relevant stimulus characteristics are already determined.

Enhancing Real-Time Emotion Recognition in Classroom Environments Using Convolutional Neural Networks: A Step Towards Optical Neural Networks for Advanced Data Processing

In contemporary academic settings, end-of-semester student feedback on a lecturer’s teaching abilities often fails to provide a comprehensive, real-time evaluation of their proficiency, and becomes less relevant with each new cohort of students. To address these limitations, an innovative feedback method has been proposed, utilizing image processing algorithms to dynamically assess the emotional states of students during lectures by analyzing their facial expressions. This real-time approach enables lecturers to promptly adapt and enhance their teaching techniques. Recognizing and engaging with emotionally positive students has been shown to foster better learning outcomes, as their enthusiasm actively stimulates cognitive engagement and information analysis. The purpose of this work is to identify emotions based on facial expressions using a deep learning model based on a convolutional neural network (CNN), where facial recognition is performed using the Viola–Jones algorithm on a group of students in a learning environment. The algorithm encompasses four key steps: image acquisition, preprocessing, emotion detection, and emotion recognition. The technological advancement of this research lies in the proposal to implement photonic hardware and create an optical neural network which offers unparalleled speed and efficiency in data processing. This approach demonstrates significant advancements over traditional electronic systems in handling computational tasks. An experimental validation was conducted in a classroom with 45 students, demonstrating that the level of understanding in the class as predicted was 43–62.94%, and the proposed CNN algorithm (facial expressions detection) achieved an impressive 83% accuracy in understanding students’ emotional states. The correlation between the CNN deep learning model and the students’ feedback was 91.7%. This novel approach opens avenues for the real-time assessment of students’ engagement levels and the effectiveness of the learning environment, providing valuable insights for ongoing improvements in teaching practices.

Cognitive Engagement and Subjective Well-Being in Adults: Exploring the Role of Domain-Specific Need for Cognition

Need for Cognition (NFC) is an investment trait reflecting interindividual differences in intrinsically motivated engagement in cognitive endeavors. While other motivational constructs like the ability self-concept are typically conceptualized domain-specific, NFC was initially conceived to describe domain-general behavior. Building on a previous study reporting the relevance of domain-specific aspects of NFC in the school context, we investigated the domain-specificity of NFC in predicting various aspects of subjective well-being across three samples with N = 1074 participants and subsamples of students and professionals ranging from n = 140 to n = 346. Our findings reveal positive associations of both domain-general and domain-specific NFC with positive affect, life satisfaction, and job- and study-related satisfaction. In part, domain-specific NFC was more strongly related to domain-specific life satisfaction compared to domain-general NFC. Additionally, we found evidence for small incremental values of domain-specific NFC over and above domain-general NFC in predicting subjective well-being. Confirming previous research, self-control and the emotion regulation strategy reappraisal partially mediated the prediction of well-being by NFC. Our results indicate that additionally considering NFC as domain-specific can meaningfully complement the domain-general conceptualization.

The Impact of Creative Arts on Student Engagement and Learning

The integration of creative arts in education has shown potential in enhancing student engagement and learning. This study investigates how creative disciplines such as visual arts, music, and drama contribute to deeper cognitive, emotional, and social engagement in primary and secondary education. Drawing on theories of creativity and constructivism, the research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, involving case studies and surveys, to explore the effects of creative arts on student motivation, problem-solving, and academic performance. Findings indicate that students participating in creative arts activities exhibit higher engagement, adaptability, and positive learning outcomes. The study highlights the transformative role of arts-based learning and calls for greater incorporation of creative arts in the curriculum to foster holistic educational development. Keywords: Creative Arts, Student Engagement, Learning, Visual Arts, Music, Drama, Cognitive Development.

The Impact of Computer-Based Activities and Non-Computer-Based Activities on College Students’ Learning Engagement in English Lessons

The impacts of computer-based activities (CBAs) and non-computer-based activities (NCBAs) on the learning engagement of college students in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses at FPT Polytechnic College are investigated in this paper. The study involved eighty second-year students, followed a mixed-methods approach with a within-subject design spanning six weeks. Participants in courses include just CBAs during the first three weeks, followed by NCBAs in the next three weeks. To evaluate students' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral involvement in different learning environments, data were gathered by means of surveys and interviews. With 55% of participants choosing NCBAs for concept sharing and 58.75% expressing enthusiasm for class involvement, the results show that NCBAs significantly raised students' cognitive and emotional engagement. On the other hand, CBAs linked with lower participation levels on several other criteria. The paper underlines the need to include NCBAs to improve the learning environment and advises teachers to use a balanced approach in the evolution of EFL curricula. In language-learning environments, this paradigm increases student involvement and raises educational results.

Effects of active breaks on educational achievement in children with and without ADHD: study protocol and rationale of the Break4Brain project

The Break4Brain project aims to elucidate the effects of both acute and chronic physical activity (PA) on educational achievement in children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study will be conducted in two phases: a cross-over design followed by a hybrid type 1 implementation-effectiveness trial, which includes both a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a qualitative study. In phase I, 60 children aged 10–12, with 30 each from ADHD and non-ADHD groups, will participate in a laboratory-based study over 4 days within 1 month. They will participate in three counterbalanced experimental conditions: (i) PA with cognitive engagement, (ii) PA without cognitive engagement, and (iii) a cognitively engaging control. This phase will assess acute changes in brain function, academic performance, working memory, inhibitory control, and sustained attention. Phase II will involve 600 children aged 10–12, randomly assigned to either a video-based PA program or a control group (300 children per group) in an 8-week cluster RCT. This phase will also incorporate a qualitative approach to explore the implementation context through pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews with teachers and school staff, and questionnaires for students. The outcomes of interest in this phase will include working memory, cognitive flexibility, selective attention, and academic performance. For the cross-over study, we hypothesize that PA conditions will enhance the studied outcomes compared to the control condition. In the RCT, we anticipate that the 8-week active breaks program will result in significant improvements in the selected outcomes compared to the control group. This study is expected to make pioneering contributions by including novel variables and focusing on the ADHD population. Furthermore, if the cluster RCT proves effective, it could offer a practical and cost-effective resource for integrating active breaks into daily school routines.

PBL 교육과정에서 학습자의 성취 수준에 따른 학습몰입 특성: 성찰일지의 코퍼스 기반 분석

Objectives The study aims to analyze the learning engagement characteristics based on learners' achievement levels in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum. Through a corpus-based analysis of reflective journals, the research seeks to objectively evaluate and differentiate the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement types of learners. Methods This research employed a corpus-based linguistic approach to analyze the reflective journals of learners from a PBL course. A total of 24 students from C University participated, divided into high-achieving and low-ach-ieving groups. The reflective journals, collected over nine weeks, were analyzed using the AntConc program to ex-tract keywords representing emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement. Statistical analyses, including One-Way ANOVA and independent samples t-test, were conducted to determine the differences in engagement types within and between the groups. Results The analysis revealed distinct differences in engagement characteristics between high-achieving and low-achieving learners. High-achieving learners exhibited higher levels of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement, reflected in a greater frequency of keywords related to these dimensions. The differences were statistically significant, highlighting the need for differentiated instructional strategies to cater to varying learner needs. Conclusions The findings emphasize the importance of tailoring educational strategies to the individual needs of learners based on their engagement patterns. This approach can enhance the effectiveness of PBL by fostering deeper and more meaningful learning experiences. The study contributes to the development of targeted teaching methods that support both high-achieving and low-achieving students, ultimately improving overall learning outcomes.

Step away from the paraphrase: teaching note-taking as a gateway to knowledge transformation

In this presentation, we examined the role note-taking can play as a gateway to knowledge transformation in the reading-to-write process and challenged an academic focus on the teaching of paraphrasing. Much research has been done into the role that note-taking plays in lectures (Morehead et al., 2019), the impact of longhand notes compared with digital (Allen et al., 2020) and student writing strategies (Wingate and Harper, 2021). Although notes play an important role in evidence-based writing, in both providing a clear record of a student’s reading and increasing encoding and engagement (Voyer et al., 2022), very little research directly addresses the impact of note-taking strategies in the reading-to-write process. This study builds on work done in educational psychology by Cuevas et al. (2016) examining writing beliefs. It aims to understand student approaches to evidence gathering and explore links between their current practices and their writing beliefs. Understanding current student practices and the link with epistemological beliefs will allow us, as learning developers, to more effectively create targeted activities and interventions to support student understanding and engagement with texts in the reading-to-write process. It will also provide a foundation for explicit discussion and reflection of student beliefs about the nature of reading and writing and the link between these beliefs and note-taking practices, encouraging students to see reading and writing as knowledge construction and, importantly, encouraging deeper cognitive engagement and learning. The study builds on work done in educational psychology by Cuevas et al. (2016) examining the link between writing beliefs and students’ ability to create argumentation and synthesis and attempts to answer the questions: (1) In the reading-to-write process, what common strategies are students using to record information from their reading? (2) What potential impacts do common practices have on learning, focus, source integration and academic integrity? (3) How are students’ epistemological beliefs about reading and writing reflected in their notetaking practices? (4) How do common practices impact students’ ability to transform knowledge and incorporate it into existing beliefs? Understanding current student practices and the link with epistemological beliefs will allow us, as learning developers, to more effectively create targeted activities and interventions to support student understanding and engagement with texts in the reading-to-write process. It will also provide a foundation for explicit discussion and reflection of student beliefs about the nature of reading and writing and the link between these beliefs and notetaking practices, encouraging students to see reading and writing as knowledge construction and, importantly, encouraging deeper cognitive engagement and learning.

Information literate students are more engaged and successful: role of information literacy in higher education

PurposeThis research examined the effect of information literacy (IL) on academic engagement (AE), cognitive engagement (CE) and academic performance among business students in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from business students, recruited through a proportionate stratified convenient sampling technique, of the top 13 business institutions in Pakistan. The questionnaire was personally administered by visiting each institution with permission for data collection. A total of 554 responses were received and analyzed using the partial least squire-structural equation modeling approach.FindingsThe results exhibited that these business students perceived themselves as information literate. Furthermore, IL of business students appeared to predict positively their AE, CE and academic performance.Research limitations/implicationsThese results provided empirical and pragmatic insights for business educators, business librarians and accreditation bodies about IL effectiveness in academia. These findings may also inform policy and practice for IL instruction programs being carried out in business-related educational institutions not only in Pakistan but also in other countries of South Asia as they share similar characteristics.Originality/valueThis research would be a great contribution to the existing literature on IL, especially in the academic context as the interrelationship between IL, AE, CE and academic performance has not been investigated so far.

Profiles of John Henryism and subjective task value in higher education: the motivations and attributions of nontraditional students

AbstractSchool psychology scholars argue that diversifying the profession will advance equity and social justice. Yet, nontraditional and racially and ethnically minoritized students are underrepresented in school psychology programs. These diverse college students bring complex identities that may complicate as well as enrich their paths to achievement. This is a challenge as higher education environments often do not optimize support for these students. To address this challenge, we investigated the influence of a school‐based task on cognitive engagement, subjective task value, positive and negative emotions, identities, and context‐sensitive high‐effort coping called John Henryism in 294 U.S. college students. Correlation and regression analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between John Henryism and subjective task value. Latent profile analysis and follow‐up logistic regression demonstrated that older and Latinx students predicted membership in the group that was high in John Henryism and subjective task value. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this work in better understanding the mixed consequences of achievement motivation, contextualizing subjective task value using John Henryism, and recommendations for higher education institutions.

Enhancing Learning Engagement in the Flipped Classroom using a Video-Annotation Tool

In the realm of academia, there has been a burgeoning interest in examining student engagement within the context of the flipped classroom approach, particularly at the higher education level. Nevertheless, research pertaining to a pivotal facet of this pedagogical methodology—namely, student engagement during the individualized, at-home preparatory phase—remains limited. Within this void, the primary objective of this study is to delve into the prospective benefits offered by a video annotation tool in augmenting students’ level of engagement during this autonomous study phase. Throughout the course of this investigation, a bespoke questionnaire was crafted, grounded in a multifaceted framework for evaluating student engagement, with a specific emphasis on dissecting four distinct dimensions: behavioral, emotional, agentive, and cognitive. This questionnaire is geared towards gauging student engagement within the domain of the Flipped Classroom model that relies on video-based instructional content—a facet heretofore poorly explored within the scholarly literature. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected by administering the aforementioned questionnaire to a cohort of 68 undergraduate engineering students at Politecnico di Milano (Italy), all within the authentic context of a case study. The outcomes stemming from this empirical inquiry showcase a noteworthy enhancement in student engagement, with particular prominence accorded to the realms of emotional and agentive engagement. Moreover, this study establishes that the interactivity and proactive involvement necessitated by the video annotation tool do not obstruct students’ behavioral and cognitive engagement levels. In summation, this research endeavors to illuminate the potentiality of bridging a pivotal juncture in the Flipped Classroom paradigm, specifically the phase characterized by independent at-home study. This bridge is facilitated by the utilization of a video annotation tool designed to heighten student engagement. This transformative approach effectively transmutes the traditionally passive at-home study phase of the Flipped Classroom into an active experience, thereby enhancing the overall efficacy of this pedagogical approach.

Effects of aerobic exercise on executive function among overweight and obese children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveOverweight and obesity are serious public health issues worldwide and significantly impair children’s executive function (EF). However, there is no consensus regarding the benefits of aerobic exercise, on the EF of overweight and obese children. This study systematically evaluated the intervention effects of aerobic exercise on EF and its subcomponents (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) in overweight and obese children.MethodsWe searched six databases—PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, EBSCOhost, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure—until March 17, 2024 for randomized controlled trials examining the effects of aerobic exercise on the EF of overweight and obese children the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Following heterogeneity testing, RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0 were used for meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of the three indicators. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as statistical measures for effect analysis with the SMD value as the effect size and a p-value of ≤0.05 indicating statistical significance.ResultsEighteen studies involving 1,260 participants were included. Aerobic exercise significantly improved overall EF (SMD = −0.50, 95% CI [−0.68, −0.32], p < 0.01) with a moderate to high positive effect on inhibitory control (SMD = −0.52, 95% CI [−0.72, −0.31], p < 0.01) and working memory (SMD = −0.63, 95% CI [−1.06, −0.20], p < 0.01) but not on cognitive flexibility (SMD = −0.32, 95% CI [−0.71, 0.07], p = 0.11). These results suggest that EF in overweight and obese children is influenced by factors such as exercise characteristics and body mass index (BMI). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant moderating effect of exercise type, exercise intensity, session time, and individual BMI on EF.ConclusionAerobic exercise selectively improved EF in overweight and obese children. Subgroup analysis indicated that cognitive engagement in ball game interventions of at least moderate intensity and a single session of 25–40 min are more beneficial for improving EF in overweight and obese children. Extremely obese children (BMI > 25 kg/m2) do not benefit from the intervention, highlighting the need for a specific focus on intervention outcomes in future studies.

Factors Influencing The Usage of Stress Relief Applications: From The Psychological Perspective

Stress remains one of the most difficult challenges in responding to various situations. It elicits negative thoughts and feelings in the person. Counseling, training, exercise, and other methods effectively reduce stress. However, with the advancement of technology, different approaches to dealing with it have emerged. One of the types of digital health applications was stress relief applications. This application was starting to become famous as an alternative to help individuals manage their stress levels. Numerous stress-management or stress-relief applications are available for smartphones and tablets. These applications include a variety of stress-reduction techniques, including meditation, mindfulness breathing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques. This review paper explores the psychological factors influencing the usage of stress relief applications. In this review paper, researchers focused on perceived stress, motivation for self-care, and cognitive engagement. Understanding these psychological factors can help the individual experiencing high stress levels to utilize the stress relief application. Besides, for the application developers, it gives the idea to create compelling digital tools that cater to users' specific needs and preferences, ultimately promoting better stress management and overall well-being.

Exploring the Effects of Artificial Intelligence Application on EFL Students' Academic Engagement and Emotional Experiences: A Mixed‐Methods Study

ABSTRACTAs artificial intelligence (AI) gains prominence, its integration into second language (L2) /foreign language (FL) instruction has become a significant trend. Despite the considerable promise of AI for L2/FL learning, more research is still needed on its effects on student academic engagement in literature classes and the corresponding emotional experiences. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the effects of AI use on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' academic engagement, and the emotional experience was also qualitatively explored. Students were allocated to the experimental group (N = 48), who received instruction integrated with AI, and the control group (N = 48), who received traditional instruction without AI assistance. Quantitative data were collected using an FL engagement scale, supplemented by individual semi‐structured interviews in the qualitative phase. The results indicated that integrating AI into EFL instruction has a positive effect on students' cognitive, emotional and social engagement. Moreover, the learners' emotional experiences were found to be abundant and dynamic, exerting influence on their academic engagement. This study provides valuable insights for language educators and researchers regarding integrating AI into EFL instruction.

Synergizing Systems Thinking and Technology-Enhanced Learning for Sustainable Education Using the Flow Theory Framework

In an era where digital technologies are integral to daily life and sustainable education is increasingly critical, developing higher-order thinking skills with appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) support is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of this study was to examine synergies of systems thinking and technology-enhanced learning from the perspective of flow theory within the context of sustainable education. We surveyed more than 65 pre-service preschool teachers engaged in a design, technology, and engineering (DTE) course at the University of Ljubljana. Mapping of systems thinking revealed that pre-service preschool teachers needed support regarding feedback and understanding the interrelationship dimension of systems thinking—essential components of sustainable education. Predictive and mediation analyses yielded noteworthy results. Participants in the ICT-enhanced DTE course rated their cognitive and social engagement above the mid-point of the scale, with this higher engagement correlating with higher systems thinking crucial for sustainable education. In contrast, their aesthetic engagement was below the mid-point of the scale. Experiencing a flow state during ICT activities positively influenced systems thinking, particularly in terms of clear goals and autotelic experiences. Flow theory thus emerges as a solid and appropriate framework to use for studying synergies in technology-enhanced systems thinking for sustainable education. These findings underscore the importance of integrating systems thinking into curricula to enhance learning outcomes and prepare students for future challenges, thereby contributing to the achievement of SDGs through sustainable education.

Understanding the formation process of positive customer engagement behaviors: a quantitative and qualitative interpretation

PurposeTo investigate the impact of cognition, emotion and other factors on positive customer engagement behaviors and to identify the differential formation processes and dynamic changes in these behaviors.Design/methodology/approachWe used cognitive appraisals and coping theory as well as justice theory, to analyze comment data from the Xiaomi Community with natural language processing and binary logistic regression.FindingsOur results indicate that cognition and emotion are unnecessary for positive customer engagement. Users expressing different cognitions and emotions exhibit varied positive engagement behaviors. The behavioral dimension was the most frequently combined, followed by the affective and cognitive dimensions. Managers should adopt material or spiritual incentives to encourage users with positive emotions and cognition to become loyal. Additionally, addressing comments with distributive justice cognition can promote positive customer engagement.Originality/valueThis study clarifies the complex interplay between cognition, emotion and customer engagement behaviors, providing actionable insights for brand managers to foster customer loyalty and positive customer engagement.

Exploring Entrepreneurial Intention and Student Engagement of Youth Living in Poverty

Graduating from secondary education for adolescents living in poverty is challenging. Strong entrepreneurial intention and student engagement among youth living in poverty often play a protective role in reducing school dropout and fostering school completion, which results in improved educational attainment. However, research on this topic is scarce. A total of 1135 adolescents took part in this cross-sectional study, 50.9% of which were females. On average, they were 16.4 years old. They were all upper secondary school students from ten public and private schools in Lebanon. They completed instruments measuring entrepreneurial intention and student engagement. This study explored the covariate associations between risk and promotive factors through four dimensions of entrepreneurial intention and two components of student engagement (cognitive and psychological engagement). It shows positive associations for entrepreneurial intention with both individual factors (age) and social factors (working mother and private school). Negative associations for student engagement were found in all (individual and social) factors with the exception of the father’s job, which did not present any association. The findings provide insight for policymaking to empower schools to promote school completion and educational attainment among these youth by providing policy initiatives and school-based interventions that target entrepreneurial exposure and engagement strengthening, hence meeting young people’s individual, family, and school community needs.

The development of exhaustion, cynicism, and inadequacy in general upper secondary education: perceived and received support, student engagement, and gender as predictors

ABSTRACT This study contributes to understanding the long-term development of burnout dimensions across students in general upper secondary education and of support, engagement, and gender as factors that contribute to this development. The study followed Finnish academic track students (N = 210) over three years to examine the development of three burnout dimensions (exhaustion, cynicism, inadequacy) and the predictors of these dimensions using latent growth modeling. The findings revealed that cynicism and inadequacy increased, while exhaustion remained stable; moreover, the three dimensions were strongly interrelated. Perceived support negatively predicted initial burnout levels, affective engagement negatively affected exhaustion and inadequacy, and cognitive engagement negatively affected cynicism. Further, girls reported higher exhaustion and inadequacy than boys. The findings yielded new insight on the importance of perceived support as an antecedent of burnout – sufficient and continuous support can help to reduce and prevent burnout among these students.

Comparing the effectiveness of augmented reality and anatomical atlases in student preparation for neuroanatomy dissection

Anatomy teachers urge students to come to education sessions at the dissection rooms as well-prepared as possible. To effectuate optimal preparation, assignments are designed to guide the students’ learning processes. These assignment often include the use of anatomical figures in atlases. The role of augmented reality (AR) applications in helping students prepare for body donor-based teaching sessions at the dissection rooms remains quite elusive. Therefore, this study examines the effects of the use of an AR application compared to the use of anatomical atlases in helping students (n = 28) prepare for a neuroanatomy session at the dissection rooms with prosections. The study shows that students from both groups showed a similar improvement in anatomy test scores. The amount of experienced cognitive engagement, however, is higher in the experimental AR group. Based on these results, it can be suggested that an AR application is a valid method to help students prepare and could be an alternative to the use of anatomical atlases. Nevertheless, future studies should re-investigate this research question in larger cohorts. Also, it remains unknown whether cognitive engaged students are indeed the students who are better prepared for educational sessions at the dissection rooms.