Instructor-Led Approach to Integrating an Augmented Reality Sandbox into a Large-Enrollment Introductory Geoscience Course for Nonmajors Produces No Gains

ABSTRACT

The augmented reality (AR) sandbox bridges the gap between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) visualization by projecting a digital topographic map onto a sandbox landscape. As the landscape is altered, the map dynamically adjusts, providing an opportunity to discover how to read topographic maps. We tested the hypothesis that the AR sandbox is a more effective tool for teaching topographic maps than the traditional, paper-based approach alone. Students enrolled in an introductory geology course were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (N = 82) completed the paper-based topographic maps laboratory course. The experimental group (N = 94) completed the same laboratory course but also used the AR sandbox. Students spent 15–20 min working on an instructor-guided exercise to explore concepts such as contours, landforms, profiles, and gradients. The following week, all students took a topographic maps assessment. As in previous studies, these data suggest that male students, those with prior map-reading experience, and those students with higher 3D visualization skills tended to score better on the assessment. Unfortunately, we identified no significant gains in the experimental group over the control group, even when the results were subdivided by gender, prior map experience, and/or spatial visualization skill. These results suggest a short instructor-guided approach is not the most effective way to use the AR sandbox. Future research should focus on determining the amount of time needed to make the AR sandbox effective and/or the efficacy of using the AR sandbox multiple times during the semester for shorter periods of time.

Key words: :

• augmented reality sandbox
• topographic maps

Acknowledgments

Thanks go to Oliver Kreylos and the KeckCAVES group at University of California–Davis for making the augmented reality (AR) sandbox software freely available and easy to use. The AR sandboxes at State University of New York–Geneseo were constructed with an Innovative Instruction Technology Grant (IITG) award from the State University of New York. Kris Anderson, Diane Lounsbury, Joe Dolce, and Clint Cross were instrumental in their construction at Geneseo. Talor Walsh, Margaret Reitz, and Nicolas Warner assisted in the collection of assessment data. Gregg Hartvigsen and Janelle Goeke provided much-needed assistance with R and statistics in general. The AR sandbox research group (Rachel Atkins, Christine Clark, Nicole LaDue, Karen McNeal, Katherine Ryker, and Shelly Whitmeyer) has been very supportive and welcoming to those new to education research. This contribution was greatly improved by insightful critiques from two anonymous reviewers and an associate editor.