Exploring the Impact of an Augmented Reality-Integrated Mathematics Curriculum on Students' Spatial Skills in Elementary School

Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to enhance visual cognition through virtual object experimentation and practice, while also fostering spatial skills relevant to mathematics. This experimental study was conducted with 86 sixth graders in Eastern China, involving a 3-month AR integrated Mathematics Curriculum (ARiMC), with pre- and post-tests administered. The analysis of spatial skills encompassed four dimensions: graphics recognition, movement, orientation, and measurement. The results revealed that there was no significant improvement in spatial skills with the experience of ARiMC. However, it's noteworthy that ARiMC had a significant impact on the graphics movement dimension, particularly among female students. This finding suggests that AR-enabled learning is a convenient and effective teaching strategy compared to traditional methods, although it didn't yield a broad enhancement in overall spatial skills. It demonstrates the capacity to improve certain abilities, particularly benefiting female students. This underscores the value of AR-enabled learning in mathematics education.