Enhancing K-16 Science Education with Augmented Reality: A Systematic Review of Literature from 2001 to 2020

Abstract

This study conducted a systematic review of 20 years of literature on the usage of augmented reality (AR) in K-16 science education. A total of 89 articles were selected as the research sample pool of this review after initial literature searching and manual filtering. The research findings were analyzed and synthesized through five interrelated aspects of AR-supported instruction: metadata, research methodologies, instructional contexts, instructional design, and technological features. The results revealed the trend patterns in AR-supported science education in terms of publication, pedagogical assumptions, and technological affordances over time. In addition, we reported the contextual factors in AR pedagogies and instructional functions. Finally, practical implications for teachers and AR program developers are proposed and discussed.