Investigating Situated Learning Theory Through an Augmented Reality Mobile Assistant for Everyday STEM Learning

Situated learning theory (SLT) suggests learning should take place within authentic contexts to be effective. Research in virtual and augmented reality (AR) tend to use SLT to ground their work. Yet, the effectiveness of SLT to ground designs is still questionable. This work investigates situated learning through an AR mobile application called Objectica that seeks to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) concepts using authentic everyday objects. A between-subjects study compared Objectica with a version not grounded in SLT. Initial results show no significant differences in the effectiveness of the two versions, questioning impact of SLT in educational app design.