A Review of Augmented Reality in K-12 Education Environments

Augmented reality (AR) continues to gain popularity within the classroom setting, lauded for the potential it brings to further engage students and contextualize instruction. AR offers an interactive experience where digital objects, seen through various mobile devices (e.g., iPad, mobile phone), are overlaid on the real world. This literature review of 38 research studies conducted in K-12 settings examined the defining characteristics of AR, the purpose and application of the AR intervention, and the outcomes associated with the current use of AR. The results of the review reveal that studies use varying defining characteristics of AR which leads to varying levels of applications for all students in instructional settings. With no common definition leading to a wide array of classroom usage, the authors examine AR usage for students with and without disabilities. This article also provides recommendations to establish a strong research base on specific characteristics and the impact AR has on education.