Exploring the potential impacts of augmented reality (AR) on user experience (UX) in learning history
Madusha, Jayasingha Arachchige (2025)
Diplomityö
2025
School of Engineering Science, Tietotekniikka
Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2025062372608
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2025062372608
Tiivistelmä
The main objective of this study is to explore the potential impacts of Augmented Reality (AR) on User Experience (UX) in history learning applications, with a specific focus on user engagement and satisfaction. With AR's interactive and immersive qualities, AR has shown its potential in educational fields, particularly in STEM fields; however, its adoption in history education remains underexplored. Hence, this study explores how specific AR features in history learning applications influence user engagement and satisfaction.
The study followed a qualitative research methodology involving seven participants who were asked to explore two AR history learning applications, Fectar and Xplore by TimeLooper, which offer a set of AR features. Data gathering was done focusing on two pre-defined themes: user engagement and user satisfaction. While semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants to collect data, the deductive thematic analysis method was utilized to analyze the collected data.
Findings indicate that higher interactivity and immersion, often paired with emotional connection, heightened the overall user engagement. Features such as 3D Object Interaction, AR Quizzes, Immersive Storytelling, and Contextual Pop-ups were highlighted repeatedly as the most engaging features, which were positively affecting emotional, cognitive as well and behavioral engagement. User satisfaction is often affected by usability, system performance, and personalization, whereas users have shown higher user satisfaction when the applications were easy to use and incorporated with content relevant to their personal preferences. Anyhow, lack of interactivity, passive and lengthy content delivery, and technical issues were negatively affecting both user engagement and satisfaction.
Overall, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of designing AR history learning applications that are not only interactive and visually immersive but also technically reliable and cognitively meaningful.
The study followed a qualitative research methodology involving seven participants who were asked to explore two AR history learning applications, Fectar and Xplore by TimeLooper, which offer a set of AR features. Data gathering was done focusing on two pre-defined themes: user engagement and user satisfaction. While semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants to collect data, the deductive thematic analysis method was utilized to analyze the collected data.
Findings indicate that higher interactivity and immersion, often paired with emotional connection, heightened the overall user engagement. Features such as 3D Object Interaction, AR Quizzes, Immersive Storytelling, and Contextual Pop-ups were highlighted repeatedly as the most engaging features, which were positively affecting emotional, cognitive as well and behavioral engagement. User satisfaction is often affected by usability, system performance, and personalization, whereas users have shown higher user satisfaction when the applications were easy to use and incorporated with content relevant to their personal preferences. Anyhow, lack of interactivity, passive and lengthy content delivery, and technical issues were negatively affecting both user engagement and satisfaction.
Overall, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of designing AR history learning applications that are not only interactive and visually immersive but also technically reliable and cognitively meaningful.