The Didactic Potential of AR in Teaching Physics

Augmented Reality (AR) allows the user to overlay reality with additional information, unlike Virtual Reality which completely immerses the user in an artificial environment. The possibilities for educational value in these overlays are tremendous. Physics is an area with many complicated concepts which are hard for students to grasp. If AR applications could be developed to make Physics more engaging and relevant for students, it would go a long way toward improving exchanges in the classroom. This paper will give an overview of augmented reality, especially focusing on its potential in the classroom. A few applications of Physics AR currently in use will be briefly described. Lastly, we will discuss future directions of augmented reality oriented to the improvement of science education at the Facultad de Ingeniería - UBA (FIUBA).