Extended Reality for Public Understanding of Science: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The use of Extended Reality (XR) for communicating science concepts is on the rise. While most of its use is in teaching in formal contexts, its use in informal contexts has slowly gained momentum. Hence, a systematic literature review was conducted on the use of XR technologies for public understanding of science (PUS). A total of 92 empirical studies, published between 2010 and 2022, were included in the final analysis focusing on various informal learning environments such as museums, science festivals, and online platforms. The review aims to dissect the contexts and efficacy of XR technologies in fostering engagement and improving science literacy among the general public. The results indicate a prevalence of AR (Augmented Reality) approaches, and experimental studies analyzed in this review show a positive correlation between the utilization of XR over traditional approaches and improvements in engagement, knowledge retention, and understanding.