The acceptance of augmented reality in engineering education: the role of technology optimism and technology innovativeness

ABSTRACT

This study aims to determine if technology optimism and technology innovativeness can explain and predict the use of augmented reality in the scope of engineering education. An Augmented Reality app to analyze digital current (DC) in resistive circuits was developed was developed to enhance students’ understanding of electricity. The app allows the manipulation of circuit elements, computes the voltage and amperage values using the loop method by applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law. A model with the following variables was theoretically conceived: subjective norms, technology optimism, technology innovativeness, attitude toward using and behavioral intention to use. The study considered a sample of 173 engineering students and was carried out using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that subjective norms have a positive effect on technology optimism and technology innovativeness. Further, attitude toward using was found to depend on a medium range of students’ characteristics, such as technology optimism and technology innovativeness. The results suggest that the academic environment can influence a student’s beliefs concerning new technologies. Understanding how the educational environment can affect students’ attitudes toward the use of new technologies can help higher education institutions establish policies for their adoption to facilitate the learning process.

KEYWORDS:

• Augmented reality
• technology acceptance
• engineering
• education
• interactive app

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Government of the Region of Madrid: [Grant Number S2018/TCS-4307]; Research Department of the University de La Serena: [Grant Number PR18362].

Notes on contributors

Alejandro Álvarez-Marín

Alejandro Álvarez-Marín received the title of Industrial Engineer from the Universidad de La Serena, Chile, and the master’s degree in Information Technology from the Universidad Santa María, Chile, in 2003 and 2008, respectively. He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Information and Communications Technologies at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain. He is currently with the Universidad de La Serena as a Professor. His research areas are information technology, innovation, and education, and he is a member of the IEEE Computer and Education Societies.

J. Ángel Velázquez-Iturbide

J. Ángel Velázquez-Iturbide received the Computer Science degree and the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain, in 1985 and 1990, respectively. He is currently with the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos as a Professor, where he is the leader of the Laboratory of Information Technologies in Education (LITE). His research areas include programing education and software visualization. Prof. Velázquez is a senior member of the IEEE Computer and Education Societies and a senior member of ACM. He is the Vice-president of the Spanish Association for the Advancement of Computers in Education (ADIE).

Mauricio Castillo-Vergara

Mauricio Castillo-Vergara, is a Doctor in economic and business sciences, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Industrial Civil Engineer and Master in Business Management. He is currently working as an academic researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Alberto Hurtado University. His leading research and chairs are Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity. He is the author of several articles on SMEs, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. He has published in national and international journals such as Innovation: Organization & Management, Journal of Business Research, Thinking Skills and Creativity, Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Technology & Innovation Management. He has taught and participated in various national and international presentations, seminars and courses.