Manipulating Virtual Objects with Your Hands: A Case Study on Applying Desktop Augmented Reality at the Primary School

Augmented Reality (AR) offers many opportunities as an interactive tool to improve learning and teaching processes. This paper presents a pilot study conducted on third graders where a series of AR contents about Natural and Social Sciences have been used as a teaching tool. The main objective of the application is to help the students to learn complex concepts that present a difficult understanding. A user centered approach was followed to create the AR contents, where several teachers collaborated on its definition. The AR application combines 3D models and animations, mini games and quizzes. An evaluation of the educational contents was made from the point of view efficiency (academic achievement), usability and motivation. Results confirm that the use of desktop AR has had a positive impact on the learning and teaching process and reinforce the vision of AR as an affordable and feasible technological tool to support the students' learning activities.