The Impact of Augmented Reality on Developing Reflective Thinking and Attitudes of 10th-Grade Students Towards Biology Curriculum

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of integrating augmented reality (AR) technology on developing reflective thinking skills and improving attitudes towards Biology among tenth-grade students. Adopting a quasi-experimental design, the research involved an experimental group and a control group, with pre- and post-application of study instruments. The experimental group received instruction through AR-enhanced content, while the control group followed traditional teaching methods. The study sample comprised (42) tenth-grade students from a school within the Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate Directorate of Education in Palestine, selected using a convenience sampling technique. Participants were equally divided into two groups of (21) students in each. To measure the study variables, a reflective thinking skills test was developed and validated by the researcher, alongside an attitudes questionnaire to assess students' attitudes towards Biology. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) results revealed statistically significant differences (α ≤ .05) in reflective thinking skills in favor of the experimental group on the post-test. The experimental group's mean score was (18.57), compared to (12.48) for the control group, indicating a large effect size (ηp² = .64). Regarding students' attitudes towards Biology, ANCOVA results also showed statistically significant differences (α ≤ .05) favoring the experimental group on the post-measurement. The experimental group's mean response on the post-measurement was (3.97) (on a 5-point scale), compared to (2.63) for the control group, with a substantial effect size (ηp² = .76). Furthermore, the findings indicated statistically significant improvements (α ≤ .05) in the experimental group's attitudes towards Biology when comparing their pre- and post-test scores. The experimental group's overall mean performance increased from (2.55) on the pre-test to (3.97) on the post-test. Based on these compelling findings, the study recommends integrating AR technologies into Biology instruction to foster reflective thinking skills and enhance positive attitudes among tenth-grade students. It also suggests curriculum design should incorporate interactive reflective activities, and teachers receive training on effectively utilizing AR technologies within teaching strategies grounded in reflective thinking.