Work

Augmented-reality simulation for machining technology learning: A quasi-experimental study of cognitive learning outcomes and observer-rated technology-related learning responses

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study examined the use of an Augmented Reality Lathe Simulator in machining technology learning among Diploma III mechanical engineering students at Universitas Negeri Padang in Indonesia. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group pre-test–post-test design was employed. The cognitive analysis involved 51 students, comprising 26 students in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. An exploratory observational component also documented attention, sincerity, confidence, satisfaction, and awareness during instruction among 31 students. The experimental group achieved substantially higher post-test scores than the control group, with an unadjusted mean difference of 15.79 points (t (49) = 7.58, p < .001) and a large effect size (Cohen's d = 2.12). The observational findings were analyzed descriptively and were not treated as direct measures of technological self-efficacy. Although favorable ratings were numerically higher in the experimental group, unfavorable ratings remained predominant in both instructional conditions. The findings therefore indicate that the AR Lathe Simulator was associated with stronger immediate cognitive outcomes, whereas its relationship with observable classroom responses remained tentative and non-uniform.

Source: Social Sciences & Humanities Open

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.103580