AR-Enhanced Inquiry Learning in Elementary Science: Developing Students’ 4C Skills
Keywords:
augmented reality; elementary science education; bounded inquiry learning; 4C skillsAbstract
This research aimed to develop and evaluate a bounded inquiry laboratory that integrates augmented reality (AR) to enhance students’ 4C skills. The 4D model (define, design, develop, and disseminate) was used as research design. Participants in this study were 63 elementary school teachers and 53 fifth-grade students, selected using purposive sampling techniques. The instruments used were an essay test and observation sheets. The results showed that students’ critical and creative thinking skills improved with a moderate N-gain category (0.62–0.69), which was higher than the N-gain (0.34–0.44) of the control class. Effect size analysis showed a moderate to large effect, especially in the aspects of thinking as hypothesis testing (0.656) and flexibility (0.704). This indicates that the AR-Bounded Inquiry Lab model is effective in developing critical thinking and flexible problem-solving skills compared to conventional practical work. Furthermore, collaboration and communication skills also showed strong improvements, particularly in oral communication and time management. Practically, the AR-Bounded Inquiry Lab model offers an innovative approach that can be adopted in primary school science learning, while theoretically, this research reinforces the constructivist and dual-coding learning frameworks. Further research is recommended to test the application of this model on a larger scale and to examine its long-term impact.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.11.39
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