Web-based Learning Solutions for Communities of Practice

Knowledge Learning: Pre-test
High achieving students (who where above the
average with their school grades, i.e. A+) unsurprisingly
performed better in the pre-knowledge
test (see the figure below) compared to average
and below-average peers. Therefore, strong correlations
applied.
The differences between the groups (A- ;
Average; A +) were even clearer inside the
test group as can be seen from the following
figure:
The same trend was visible also in the control
group as shown in the results in the next figure:
Knowledge Learning by ARtechnology:
Post-Test
Again, high achiever performed clearly best in the
post-knowledge test, too (see figure below)
However, low achievers were clearly catching
up with the others. The difference to their higher
achieving peers decreased substantially.
The implementation of Augmented Reality in
the context of the Hot Air Balloon exhibit unveiled
similar results: While the high achiever again did
best in the post-knowledge test, low achiever again
200
Visualising the Invisible in Science Centres and Science Museums
were clearly catching up with the others. This was
especially true for the girls who also managed well
in the VRA-Visual Reasoning Ability test. It seems
like that visualising very theoretical scientific
phenomenon of molecule movement) increased
the understanding substantially for pupils who
otherwise had severe difficulties.
Knowledge Learning: Control
Group without AR-Technology
The control group attended the science centre
exhibition implementation with the same kind
of pre- and post-lesson in the school. However,
they studied the Hot Air Balloon content in the
exhibition in the traditional way (with the text,
label, and guide). The results were quite different
from the AR-test group (see next figure) since low
achievers were not catching up with the others.
The following figure confirms that gap between
the low-achievers and the students with the higher
school grades remained:
This is an essential result which needs further
analysis. It seems evident that the use and application
of the Augmented Reality might give certain
advantaged for some of the less-than –average
school-success students. Especially the girls were
Figure 12. School success vs. Knowledge learning pre-test [scale from 0 to 13]