Potential obstacles to adopting augmented reality (AR) technologies as pedagogical tools to support students learning in higher education

Abstract

Many universities have adopted AR to enhance teaching and learning practices, but it has faced some obstacles. There is a lack of research on the obstacles of implications of AR in Saudi universities. This study aims to identify the extent to which faculty members agree with adopting AR as a pedagogical tool and whether there are statistically significant differences between academic perceptions of the AR potential obstacles and their faculties and gender. A mixing method approach was applied to understand the study problem. A total of 851 faculty members completed a survey, then 20 were interviewed. Statistical analyses were used to assess the survey data, and thematic analysis was used to evaluate the interview data. The finding shows that most faculty members agreed with the obstacles limiting AR technologies' adoption in teaching and learning practice in higher education. Lacking AR training courses was the most significant obstacle that faculty members agreed upon, with limited available resources and a lack of technical team support. The interview explores why these obstacles have existed. This study offers further empirical support for previous studies. The contribution is theoretical and practical, as well as recommendations to help higher education implement technology in its educational environment.