Abstract
This thesis explores how augmented reality (AR) can improve metabolism education in a university-level biochemistry course. The study investigates how AR can help students who consistently struggle to understand abstract metabolic concepts. It is grounded in constructivist and inquiry-based learning pedagogies and guided by the attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivation and self-determination theory. The study integrated the 5E model of inquiry within an AR-enhanced, inquiry-based learning framework. The 5E model complements the ARCS model since it promotes attention and relevance through contextualised learning. When combined, these factors support students’ motivation, engagement and conceptual grasp of biochemistry.
A custom AR tool was developed, implemented, and refined in a classroom setting using design-based research principles. Improvements were made iteratively between the pilot and main study phases. The study was guided by the central research question: What are the affordances of a developed AR tool for inquiry-based teaching of metabolism? Three sub-questions explored the tool’s development, its impact on conceptual understanding, and its influence on student motivation. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining qualitative information from focus group interviews with quantitative measures such as the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, McNemar tests, and pre- and post-intervention assessments. Findings from both pilot and main studies demonstrate that the AR tool greatly improved students’ conceptual understanding, especially of intricate processes like transamination, cellular respiration and starch phosphorylation. All ARCS dimensions showed improvements in motivation, with notable gains in confidence, relevance, and attention. According to qualitative themes, students thought AR was an interesting, user-friendly, and visually stimulating learning tool that made it easier for them to acquire conceptual, procedural, and epistemic knowledge. However, issues with technological usability and accessibility were also noted.
The pedagogical value of AR in promoting inquiry-based, student-centred biochemistry learning was confirmed by the integrated analysis. This thesis contributes to the literature on technology enhanced science education by offering empirical
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evidence of how AR can scaffold understanding, enhance motivation, and transform the learning experience in complex STEM domains. Future educational research, inclusive learning, and instructional design implications are also covered.