Preliminary Evaluation of using Augmented Reality as a Dynamic Simulation Learning Tool for Linkage Mechanisms

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that enables the users to visualize and interact with 3D virtual object, which is digitally processed and augmented in real time and environments. The use of AR in education has a wide potential of providing learners with a new type of learning material, and it has the capability to enrich the learning experience; especially in learning the kinesthetic and dynamics subjects in Engineering Mechanisms Courses. In order to support various teacher-student interaction scenarios by improving the understanding/visualization process, we implement a dynamic simulation tool using augmented reality for the four-bar linkage mechanisms (4BL) engineering problem. The study evaluated by a group of students from Yanbu Industrial College, instructors and expert in the same field, The results of the study show that most of the participants never been experienced with AR applications before, but the ideas of implementing AR as a simulation tool for learning the kinesthetic and dynamic subjects is well accepted with a very beneficial feedback. Based on the findings also we found that there is a positive changing in terms of the visualizing and imagining of the four-bar linkage mechanisms (4BL) which lead to a good understanding of this subject. Further development of AR applications in the learning environment is being discussed.