The Potential of Portable AR in Physics Education: A Study on Student Perceptions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.06.08.14Keywords:
Augmented Reality, Educational Technology, , Learning Outcomes, , Physics Education, , Resource Constraints, Student Perceptions, , Virtual LaboratoryAbstract
Integrating portable augmented reality (AR) into physics education has the potential to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This study investigates students' perceptions of the appeal and effectiveness of the Traveling Virtual Lab (TVL), a solar-powered AR learning kit designed to improve physics education in the Philippines. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing the "Student Acceptance of Virtual Laboratory questionnaire" adapted from Park (2009). The sample consisted of 58 students, with a balanced gender distribution and a majority at the tertiary-education level. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed to address the research questions. The results indicate that students perceive TVL as appealing and effective for learning physics concepts, with mean ratings of 3.9 for both variables. No significant differences were found in perceptions based on gender or grade. This study highlights the potential of portable AR to enhance physics education by providing immersive and interactive experiences that can visualize complex concepts and overcome resource constraints. However, challenges remain, including technological accessibility and the need for training teachers. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on AR in education and have implications for the development and implementation of virtual laboratory technologies, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Future research should focus on addressing implementation challenges and exploring the long-term impact on student learning outcomes.
Downloads
References
Algerafi, M. A. M., Oubibi, M., Wijaya, T. T., & Zhou, Y. (2023). Unlocking the Potential: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Aug-mented Reality and Virtual Reality in Ed-ucation. Electronics, 12(18), 3953. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12183953
Aljuhani, K., Meccawy, M., Althabiti, M., & Sonbul, M. (2018). Creating a Virtual Sci-ence Lab (VSL): the adoption of virtual labs in Saudi schools. Smart Learning En-vironments, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-018-0067-9
Alhashem, F., & Alfailakawi, A. (2023). Tech-nology-enhanced learning through virtual laboratories in chemistry education. Con-temporary Educational Technology, 15(4), ep474. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13739
Anselmo, C., Aquino, J. L., Dumelod, D., Abe, L., Ingente, M. A., Dimaano, V., … Anselmo, M. C. (2024). Evaluating the Impact of AR-Enhanced Virtual Traveling Labs on Physics Teaching and Learning. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 3(1), 266–273. https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2024.0631
Asiksoy, G. (2023). Effects of Virtual Lab Expe-riences on Students’ Achievement and Perceptions of Learning Physics. Interna-tional Journal of Online and Biomedical Engineering (IJOE), 19(11). https://doi.org/10.3991/ijoe.v19i11.39049
Badilla-Quintana, M. G., Salazar Arias, M., & Sepulveda-Valenzuela, E. (2020). Aug-mented Reality as a Sustainable Technol-ogy to Improve Academic Achievement in Students with and without Special Educa-tional Needs. Sustainability, 12(19), 8116. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198116
Bajaj, A. (2023). Impact of Virtual Reality (Vr) and Augmented Reality (Ar) in Education. Tuijin Jishu/Journal of Propulsion Tech-nology, 44(4), 1310–1318. https://doi.org/10.52783/tjjpt.v44.i4.1014
Bangga-Modesto, D. (2024). Examining Stu-dent Perception on Mobile Augmented Reality Integration, Gender Differences, Learning Styles, Feedback, Challenges, and Opportunities in an Online Physics Class. Science Education International, 35(1), 2–12. https://doi.org/10.33828/sei.v35.i1.1
Bernardo, A. B. I., Cordel, M. O., Calleja, M. O., Teves, J. M. M., Yap, S. A., & Chua, U. C. (2023). Profiling low-proficiency science students in the Philippines using machine learning. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01705-y
Canright, J. P., & White Brahmia, S. (2024). Modeling novel physics in virtual reality labs: An affective analysis of student learning. Physical Review Physics Educa-tion Research, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevphyseducres.20.010146
Chandir, H. (2020). Student responses on the survey of global competence in PISA 2018. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 526–542. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2020.1844153
Crogman, H. T., Sonawane, R. B., Boroon, R., Pacheco, E., & Cano, V. D. (2025). Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality in Experiential Learning: Trans-forming Educational Paradigms. Educa-tion Sciences, 15(3), 303. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030303
Deng, W., Wang, L., & Deng, X. (2024). Explor-ing Interactive Learning Environments Based on Augmented Reality Technology. International Journal of Interactive Mo-bile Technologies (IJIM), 18(12), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v18i12.49911
Fadda, D., Salis, C., & Vivanet, G. (2022). About the Efficacy of Virtual and Remote La-boratories in STEM Education in Second-ary School: A Second-Order Systematic Review. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies (ECPS Journal), 26. https://doi.org/10.7358/ecps-2022-026-fadd
Goff, E. E., Irvin, M. J., Mulvey, K. L., & Hartstone-Rose, A. (2018). Applications of Augmented Reality in Informal Science Learning Sites: a Review. Journal of Sci-ence Education and Technology, 27(5), 433–447. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-018-9734-4
Hassan, J., Devi, A., & Ray, B. (2022). Virtual Laboratories in Tertiary Education: Case Study Analysis by Learning Theories. Ed-ucation Sciences, 12(8), 554. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12080554
Iqbal, A. I., Aamir, A., Hammad, A., Hafsa, H., Basit, A., Oduoye, M. O., Anis, M. W., Ah-med, S., Younus, M. I., & Jabeen, S. (2024). Immersive Technologies in Healthcare: An In-Depth Exploration of Virtual Reali-ty and Augmented Reality in Enhancing Patient Care, Medical Education, and Training Paradigms. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 15. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319241293311
Jiang, H., Zhu, D., Chugh, R., Turnbull, D., & Jin, W. (2025). Virtual reality and augmented reality-supported K-12 STEM learning: trends, advantages, and challenges. Edu-cation and Information Technologies, 30(9), 12827–12863. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13210-z
Jiang, S., Sung, S. H., Xie, C., Tatar, C., & Huang, X. (2021). Augmented Reality in Science Laboratories: Investigating High School Students’ Navigation Patterns and Their Effects on Learning Performance. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(3), 777–803. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211038764
Lai, J. W., & Cheong, K. H. (2022). Educational Opportunities and Challenges in Aug-mented Reality: Featuring Implementa-tions in Physics Education. IEEE Access, 10, 43143–43158. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2022.3166478
Lauer, L., Altmeyer, K., Javaheri, H., Grünerbl, A., Brünken, R., Lukowicz, P., Malone, S., Amiraslanov, O., & Peschel, M. (2020). Real-time visualization of electrical cir-cuit schematics: An augmented reality experiment setup to foster representa-tional knowledge in introductory physics education. The Physics Teacher, 58(7), 518–519. https://doi.org/10.1119/10.0002078
Lee, H.-Y., Wu, T.-T., Wang, W.-S., Huang, Y.-M., & Lin, C.-J. (2023). Integrating Computa-tional Thinking into Scaffolding Learning: An Innovative Approach to Enhance Sci-ence, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Hands-On Learning. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 62(2), 211–247. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331231211916
Jiang, H., Zhu, D., Chugh, R., Turnbull, D., & Jin, W. (2025). Virtual reality and augmented reality-supported K-12 STEM learning: trends, advantages, and challenges. Edu-cation and Information Technologies, 30(9), 12827–12863. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13210-z
Maas, M. J., & Hughes, J. M. (2020). Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality in K–12 education: a review of the literature. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 29(2), 231–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939x.2020.1737210
Marín Rodriguez, W. J., Calvo Rivera, I. P., An-drade Girón, D. C., Susanibar Ramirez, E. T., Caro Soto, F. G., Ausejo Sanchez, J. L., & Zúñiga Rojas, Z. R. (2023). Artificial In-telligence and Augmented Reality in Higher Education: a systematic review. Data and Metadata, 2, 121. https://doi.org/10.56294/dm2023121
Mohammadi, K., Fadlallah, J., Bonakala, S., Ayeche, L., Bentria, E. T., Medina, J., & El Mellouhi, F. (2023). MatAR: dynamic augmented reality platform for accessible molecular visualization. Physical Chemis-try Chemical Physics, 25(43), 29415–29423. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3cp02435k
Pande, P., & Jepsen, P. M. (2024). Science lab safety goes immersive: An ecological me-dia-comparison study with gender anal-yses assessing iVR’s learning effective-ness. Research and Practice in Technolo-gy Enhanced Learning, 20, 001. https://doi.org/10.58459/rptel.2025.20001
Pandey, A. K., Tyagi, V. V., Salam, P. A., Ahamed, J. U., Said, Z., Juanico, D. E., Tyagi, S. K., Rahman, S., Krismadinata, K., Samykano, M., Reji Kumar, R., Sharma, K., & Kalidasan, B. (2022). Solar Energy Uti-lization Techniques, Policies, Potentials, Progresses, Challenges and Recommen-dations in ASEAN Countries. Sustainabil-ity, 14(18), 11193. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811193
Papanastasiou, G., Drigas, A., Skianis, C., Lytras, M., & Papanastasiou, E. (2018). Virtual and augmented reality effects on K-12, higher and tertiary education stu-dents’ twenty-first century skills. Virtual Reality, 23(4), 425–436. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-018-0363-2
Poo, M. C.-P., Chen, Q., & Lau, Y.-Y. (2023). Are Virtual Laboratories and Remote Labora-tories Enhancing the Quality of Sustaina-bility Education? Education Sciences, 13(11), 1110. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13111110
Radu, I., Schneider, B., & Hv, V. (2021). Une-qual Impacts of Augmented Reality on Learning and Collaboration During Robot Programming with Peers. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interac-tion, 4(CSCW3), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1145/3432944
Reginald, G. (2023). Teaching and learning us-ing virtual labs: Investigating the effects on students’ self-regulation. Cogent Edu-cation, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2023.2172308
Sharma, H., Jaffery, Z. A., & Haque, A. (2018). Solar energy harvesting wireless sensor network nodes: A survey. Journal of Re-newable and Sustainable Energy, 10(2), 023704. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5006619
Sırakaya, M., & Alsancak Sırakaya, D. (2020). Augmented reality in STEM education: a systematic review. Interactive Learning Environments, 30(8), 1556–1569. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1722713
Srinivasa, A. R., Jha, R., Ozkan, T., & Wang, Z. (2020). Virtual reality and its role in im-proving student knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude in the materials testing la-boratory. International Journal of Me-chanical Engineering Education, 49(4), 382–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306419019898824
Tuli, N., Sharma, S., & Mantri, A. (2022). Aug-mented reality in education: a systematic study on technical and usability issues. International Journal of Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, 17(2), 164. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijcaet.2022.125048
Ugwoke, B., Corgnati, S. P., Adeleke, A., Pearce, J. M., & Leone, P. (2020). Decentralized Renewable Hybrid Mini-Grids for Rural Communities: Culmination of the IREP Framework and Scale up to Urban Com-munities. Sustainability, 12(18), 7411. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187411
Vidak, A., Movre Šapić, I., Mešić, V., & Gomzi, V. (2024). Augmented reality technology in teaching about physics: a systematic re-view of opportunities and challenges. Eu-ropean Journal of Physics, 45(2), 023002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/ad0e84
Volioti, C., Sotiriou, C., Spiridis, V., Sapounidis, T., Melisidis, K., Zafeiropoulou, M., & Keramopoulos, E. (2022). Using Aug-mented Reality in K-12 Education: An In-dicative Platform for Teaching Physics. Information, 13(7), 336. https://doi.org/10.3390/info13070336
Wibowo, F. C. (2023). Effects of Augmented Reality Integration (ARI) based Model Physics Independent Learning (MPIL) for facilitating 21st-century skills (21-CS). Journal of Technology and Science Educa-tion, 13(1), 178. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.1800
Zatarain‐Cabada, R., Cárdenas‐Sainz, B. A., Chavez‐Echeagaray, M. E., & Barrón‐Estrada, M. L. (2022). Experiences of web‐based extended reality technologies for physics education. Computer Applica-tions in Engineering Education, 31(1), 63–82. https://doi.org/10.1002/cae.22571
Zhang, N., & Liu, Y. (2024). Design and imple-mentation of virtual laboratories for higher education sustainability: a case study of Nankai University. Frontiers in Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1322263
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Charlie T. Anselmo, Artemio B. Saet, Angelica P. Magleleong, Apol Joy D. Cagayan, Fely T. Corpuz

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access).














