Effects of Augmented Reality on Math Learning: Grade 12 Students

This research project proposes an experimental study to investigate the effects of Augmented Reality (AR) on the mathematics performance of Grade 12 students with learning difficulties. The study aims to determine if AR enhances problem-solving skills in mathematics, addressing the challenges these students face. The research will employ an experimental design, comparing a control group taught using traditional methods with a treatment group using AR. The project includes a review of existing literature, a detailed methodology, and a timeline for execution. The findings are expected to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on AR in education and provide valuable insights for educators and technology developers. The research will analyze data using statistical methods to determine if AR significantly improves math learning outcomes for students with learning difficulties, potentially informing the development of more effective teaching methods using AR technologies. The project will also include a detailed budget and references to support the research.

Effects of Mathematics Teaching Using Augmented
Reality on the Performance of Students with Learning
Difficulties
Student Name Date
Abstract— This paper proposes a research to be undertaken
on the effects of using AR to teach mathematics to students with
learning difficulties in grade 12. The experiment is justified
because students face challenges in learning mathematics
problem solving skills: despite different methods for effective
teaching of mathematics, some are successful, while others are
not. Past research is not sufficient to determine how effective AR
is in formal teaching of mathematics. This proposed research will
use evidence, based on an experimental research to determine is
AR has significant positive effects in enhancing learning of
mathematics problem solving among students with learning
difficulties at grade 12. It will add to the existing body of
knowledge and help policy makers design effective methods of
teaching mathematics using AR technologies.
Keywords—Augmented Reality, Teaching, Methematics,
Problem Solving Skills, Students with Learning Difficulties
I. INTRODUCTION (HEADING 1)
Augmented Reality (AR) refers to the indirect or direct live
view of any real world, physical environment where computers
are used to generate perceptual information about the elements
in question. Across several sensory modalities that include
haptic, visual, olfactory, auditory, and somatosensory senses.
The sensory information can be additive to a given natural
environment or used to mask the natural environment to create
an immersive effect in the real environment. The result is an
altered perception of the physical environment. The use of
interactive print in combination with AR has gained increasing
popularity in education, and becoming an interesting research
area. Using immersive AR technologies has been used to
enhance learning in the classroom. Mathematics is one area
where AR can be used to enhance learning and outcomes: this
proposed research seeks to determine if indeed the use of AR
can enhance learning and understanding of mathematics. After
this brief introduction, this proposed research discusses the
problem underpinning the proposed research, as well as the
objectives and research question that will guide the research.
This is followed by a discussion of the projects’ importance,
and then a brief review of existing technology, followed by a
discussion of the method to be used for the research. The
deliverables are listed, and a time table to execute the project,
using project management software suites is then described..
II. PROBLEM STATEMENT
A. Problem Statement
Mathematics is indeed a challenging subject, even for
students without any learning difficulties: England, for
instance, has among the largest gaps between the low and high
performing pupils in mathematics, among the developed
countries [1]. For students with learning difficulties, this is
even a bigger problem for them (learning math skills) given
that they already have a learning difficulty [2]. Students at all
learning levels face challenges, or anxieties in learning math,
including in higher education [3]. While technologies such as
AR can help enhance learning, it is important to fully
understand, using evidence based research, the exact effects of
using the technology on math performance among students.
Findings from previous research have been mixed, with some
concluding a small but positive effect of AR on improved
learning performance [4]. Further, other findings state that AR
might improve learning in formal education [5].
B. Research Objective
The objective of this proposed research is to determine,
based on evidence, the impact that AR has on mathematics
learning outcomes for students with learning difficulties in
grade 12. This is to be achieved through an experimental
research.
C. Research Question
Does the use of AR in teaching math to Grade 12 Students
with learning difficulties result in improved outcomes?
D. Importance of the Research
This research will add to the existing body of knowledge
in as far as AR in formal education is concerned. This
proposed research is also important in providing evidence for
educators, content developers, and technology developers on
whether using AR can have a significant impact on the
mathematics performance of students with learning
difficulties. As such, the findings will benefit policy makers in
teaching of mathematics
III. BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW
Problem solving in mathematics is a challenge for students
in Netherlands: despite the math curriculum in Netherlands

being set up based on problem solving principles and
underpinned by realistic math education, students still face
challenges in effective problem solving. The success of the
exercise has only been partially successful, with the main
difficulties encountered by students being institutional factors
such as textbooks and national examinations, as well as issues
to do with the design of the curriculum and training [6]. The
design of good tasks in problem solving characterized by
originality and non-routine protocols is still lacking. As such,
problem solving must be given greater attention and innovation
used at the primary education level, to improve student
outcomes at later stages. A qualitative study established that
students face a mixture of difficulties when learning
mathematics: those with difficulties in cognition, and hence
have learning difficulties face further intricate problems in
learning mathematics problem solving skills [6].
Concerns that students fail to develop the requisite
mathematical skills at crucial stages during their learning is
becoming an increasing area of concern. The problem with
learning is due, in part, to teaching procedure based learning.
Although there have been proposals for better methods of
teaching mathematics, the research insights on why some
methods work well and others do not are limited and far
between: further, there is insufficient research insights on the
conditions under which the different proposed methods for
better teaching of mathematics result in differences in
performance [7]. A research that synthesized preliminary data
of students learning mathematics using AR contents
established that the application of present technologies, such as
AR, may solve the challenges encountered in teaching
methods, methods of knowledge acquisition, and consolidation
of knowledge in as far as teaching mathematics is concerned.
The use of technologies such as AR should enhance better
understanding of contents, subsequently leading to
endogenization and internalization of mathematical knowledge
in a sustained manner.
AR can encourage motivation, higher involvement, and
comprehension in learning and acquiring mathematical
problem solving skills, and also increase access to
mathematical problem solving skills and information [8]. An
assessment of the effectiveness of using AR in learning solid
geometry in Taiwan using quantitative and qualitative data
established that the spatial perception and students’ scores
corresponded to each other; the research was conducted using
an experimental approach. Further, it was found that assisted
learning using technologies such as AR can enhance spatial
perception of the students when learning solid geometry. It was
also found that students that have low and average academic
achievements also attained small and medium improvements
when using AR in learning. However, the outcomes for high
achieving academic students in using AR for solid geometry
learning were found to be insignificant [9].
The preceding passages show that technologies such as AR
can be beneficial to students with learning difficulties of low to
medium academic achievements. The conventional learning
processes will soon be affected by technologies such as AR:
AR has the potential of changing the timing and location of
studying, and also has the potential of introducing new
additional ways and methods for learning. The capabilities
inherent in AR can make classes more immersive and make
information easier to understand. Education processes are all
about interaction and creativity; AR offers great opportunities
in which the twin aspects (of interaction and creativity) can be
achieved and enhance for better learning outcomes. The high
penetration and using of technology devices such as smart
phones and tablets as well as computers can greatly help in
tapping AR for enhanced learning outcomes. Many young
people use these technological gadgets regularly, and so are
used to technology. AR in education, especially for students
with difficulties in learning can better be incorporated in
enhancing their math and problem solving skills in math easily.
The challenge is that young people use these gadgets less often
for studying: incorporating AR in learning mathematics using
these technology platforms has the potential to encourage
learning.
IV. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This proposed research will use an experimental research
design, using primary quantitative data and qualitative analyses
to meet the objectives of this research, and exhaustively answer
the research question. The experimental research is on where
the researcher manipulates a given variable, while the rest of
the variables are controlled and/ or randomized. The research is
done in such a way that there is a control group, with the
participants (subjects) being randomly assigned between the
groups. The effects of the treatments are tested only one at a
time in the groups. For this research, the experiment will be
done by incorporating AR in learning mathematics for students
with learning difficulties. Specifically, students in grade 12 that
have been classified as having difficulties in learning will be
used; the students will be selected randomly and assigned to
two groups.
One group will be the control group, in which normal
methods of teaching mathematics will be used. The other
group will have the treatment administered to them, with AR
used to teach the students basic calculus. The students will then
be tested, after being given the treatments (the control and test
group), and the results evaluated. Randomization is used to
offer all possible participants an equal chance for selection.
This will ensure the validity and reliability of the research
findings. The results will then be analyzed using statistical and
graphical methods, with tests of significance and ANOVA doe
to answer the research question and determine if AR can
significantly enhance mathematical learning outcomes for
students with learning difficulties at grade 12..
A. Project Deliverables
This project will determine, using experimental results,
whether the use of AR in teaching mathematics to students
with learning difficulties has significant improvements in the
outcomes of the students. The experimental data will be
evaluated statistically to come up with a conclusion that
answers the research question.
B. TimeTable
The research will be conducted as per the time table below,
which is the work breakdown structure for this research; the

time table has been developed with the use of MS Project 2010
version, which will be used to monitor the progress of the
execution of the project (See Appendices I and II).
BUDGET
Number Task Cost in £
1 Stationery 50
2 Software 200
3 Travel 100
4 Logistics 200
5 Experimental room and
setup
200
6 Miscellaneous 100
Total (Estimated) 850
.

REFERENCES
[1] M. Boylan, "Maths challenge: England has one of the biggest gaps
between high and low performing pupils in the developed world", The
Conversation, 2017. [Online]. Available:
http://theconversation.com/maths-challenge-england-has-one-of-the-
biggest-gaps-between-high-and-low-performing-pupils-in-the-
developed-world-88678. [Accessed: 22- Mar- 2018].J. Clerk Maxwell,
A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, 3rd ed., vol. 2. Oxford:
Clarendon, 1892, pp.68-73.
[2] T. Tambychik, T. Meerah and Z. Aziz, "Mathematics Skills Difficulties:
A Mixture of Intricacies", Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,
vol. 7, pp. 171-180, 2010.
[3] S. Wahid, Y. Yusof and M. Razak, "Math Anxiety among Students in
Higher Education Level", Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,
vol. 123, pp. 232-237, 2014.
[4] E. Tosik Gün and B. Atasoy, "The Effects of Augmented Reality on
Elementary School Students’ Spatial Ability and Academic
Achievement", TED EĞİTİM VE BİLİM, vol. 42, no. 191, pp. 31-51,
2017.
[5] T. Tambychik, T. Meerah and Z. Aziz, "Mathematics Skills Difficulties:
A Mixture of Intricacies", Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences,
vol. 7, no., pp. 171-180, 2010.
[6] F. Saltan, "The Use of Augmented Reality in Formal Education: A
Scoping Review", EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and
Technology Education, vol. 13, no. 1, 2016.
[7] B. Jonsson, M. Norqvist, Y. Liljekvist and J. Lithner, "Learning
mathematics through algorithmic and creative reasoning", The Journal
of Mathematical Behavior, vol. 36, pp. 20-32, 2014.
[8] M. Coimbra, T. Cardoso and A. Mateus, "Augmented Reality: An
Enhancer for Higher Education Students in Math's Learning?", Procedia
Computer Science, vol. 67, pp. 332-339, 2015.
[9] H. Lin, M. Chen and C. Chang, "Assessing the effectiveness of learning
solid geometry by using an augmented reality-assisted learning system",
Interactive Learning Environments, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 799-810, 2013.
APPENDICES I and II (Attached)