Development and effectiveness evaluation of an AR educational tool for scattered radiation visualisation in occupational radiation protection

Occupational radiation exposure among medical staff remains a critical concern, underscoring the importance of effective radiation-protection education. This study aimed to develop and evaluate educational materials incorporating an augmented reality (AR) application to visualise scattered-radiation distributions during radiological procedures. The educational program comprised a 20-item true/false quiz, a questionnaire based on the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) motivational model, and open-ended questions assessing perceived strengths and weaknesses. Pre- and post-training quiz scores demonstrated an improvement of approximately 10% in the overall correct-response rate, indicating measurable gains in factual knowledge related to scattered radiation and radiation protection. ARCS scores reflected high levels of learner motivation, with mean ratings of 3.98 for Attention, 3.99 for Relevance, 4.06 for Confidence, and 4.08 for Satisfaction on a five-point scale. Free-text responses suggested that visualising scattered radiation with AR facilitated a more concrete understanding of its spatial distribution and the effectiveness of protective measures. However, both ARCS feedback and open-ended comments indicated that the training content was dense and that the exercise workload was perceived as burdensome. Participants also reported usability challenges related to the application interface. Overall, the findings suggest that the AR-based educational materials can enhance both learner motivation and conceptual understanding of radiation protection, although further refinement of scenario design and interface usability is required to optimise learning efficiency and user experience.