Effectiveness of marker-based augmented reality game on computational thinking skills and cognitive load for middle school students

Computational thinking (CT) gained significant importance in education, leading to a surge in the development of dedicated instructional platforms. The cultivation of students’ CT skills posed a challenge, often involving the introduction of abstract and challenging-to-visualize programming concepts. This study aimed to bridge this gap by introducing an augmented reality-based coding game—an interactive learning platform designed to facilitate students in acquiring programming skills and enhancing their grasp of computational thinking concepts. The augmented reality (AR) digital game is specifically directed towards fundamental CT skills, such as pattern recognition, decomposition, abstraction, and developing algorithms. To evaluate the effectiveness of the AR game in enhancing CT skills, a study was conducted with 124 middle school students, entailing in grades 6th and 8th. The experimental group (N = 63) utilized the AR game, while the control group (N = 61) relied on conventional text materials. The findings of the experiment strongly supported the integration of AR technology along with game-based learning as a means to enhance CT knowledge and skills while simultaneously reducing cognitive load.