In 1995 I entered technical training on the F-16 fighter aircraft to learn how to maintain the armament systems. It was an extremely foreign environment for me. I was very intimidated by the many ways I could die or get hurt. I was also anxious about the possibility of making a mistake that might damage this multi-million-dollar war machine. It was an intense 14-week course followed by hands on training with actual bombs, missiles, and other munitions at my first duty location. It was exciting and terrifying. As I researched Augmented Reality (AR) and other technologies, I wonder if they would have eased my anxiety and aided my learning.
The video by Taqtile shows AR being used by aircraft maintenance personnel to inspect, remove, and install parts on aircraft (2020). They are using augmented reality to overlay images, instructions, warnings, cautions, notes, and videos. How can this technology be used to motivate and engage students? First, I think this technology engages students by arousing their curiosity due to the perceived gap in knowledge. In the Air Force, most airmen in training have never seen a fighter aircraft in person so everything is new. Second, the technology can engage students because it can help them reach their goal of becoming a fully trained airman. Third, because the technology can help them learn in a safe environment, it will help them master skills in a virtual environment first. This can be very motivating.
Arousing Curiosity:
Sapkal and Aleem state that traditional forms of teaching in a technical environment may be boring. But that AR can help students visualize, understand, and remember concepts (2023). When I taught the aircraft armament course in 2000, I used PowerPoint slides, a white board, lecture, and even overhead projected slides. I agree that it could get boring. The most exciting parts of the course were when we got to work on the equipment. When the students could touch and handle the actual aircraft or components such as the M61A1 20mm gatling gun, they became really engaged. It was not difficult to motivate them to remove the 5 foot barrels and individual breech bolts from the gun. They became very curious and often got ahead of the accompanying lecture and steps. However, only a few times in the 14-week course, did the students get to experience actual functioning equipment. They did not see bad or damaged parts. They did not see the effects of different types of corrosion. They did not get to see the inner workings of most parts. This is where AR could have been very engaging for me as a learner. When we disassembled the gun, AR could have helped identify commonly worn parts with pictures and video overlaid. AR could have shown technical data with the warnings, cautions, notes, and each step in the process. For me, that would have been very engaging.
Related to One's Goals:
Deimann and Keller suggest that goals can be concrete or nonspecific and even emotional (2018). For a student in technical training, that might be to pass the course so you can move on to the actual machinery or equipment. For an airman, it might be to get promoted or get an assignment at a coveted location. The goal could also be to keep up with peers, or feel the satisfaction of completing something challenging. Regardless of the reason, there are ways for AR to motivate learners because it can help them reach their goals. Sapkal and Aleem site one study showing maintenance students completing tasks 14% quicker when using 3D animations vs. video instruction (2023). Using AR in maintenance training may help students reach their goals quicker than other more traditional methods. In the 4 years I taught technical training, I had many students who struggled to grasp maintenance actions on complex equipment. AR may have helped them understand much quicker. I am confident it will help many in the future.
Mastering the Learning Task:
In the previous video, Chief Master Sergeant Crider talks about the new generation of airmen joining the Air Force (2024). This generation grew up with technology in their hands. They want much more than a book, or a digital version of a book for instructions. Using AR to enhance maintenance tasks can help them master tasks. Students can practice complex tasks in a safe environment without fear of causing damage to themselves or expensive equipment. They are motivated because they can master a task virtually before they ever step into the real environment. Keller and Deimann suggest that an important factor in students mastering tasks is their ability exercise some level of control (2018). AR can give students some control in their environment. They can choose what level of detail they need from the instruction. They can choose to look at 3D overlays, videos, simulations, or text. This control will help them learn in the way that suits them best. They can practice tasks repeatedly until they feel they have mastered each task.
I think that AR can be a very helpful tool to engage students. It can arouse their curiosity, help them achieve goals, and master skills. It will not be the best choice for every situation or learning objective. But in the right environment, supporting the right learning objective, it can motivate and engage students.
References:
Crider, Powell. (2024, March 11). 164th AW Maintenance Augmented Reality System [Video]. FaceBook. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/164AW/videos/393505513377995
Keller, J. M., & Deimann, M. (2018). Motivation, volition, and performance. In R. A. Reiser & J. V. Dempsey(Eds.), Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (4th ed., pp. 78-84). New York, NY: Pearson.
Sapkal, Laxmi & Aleem, Syed (2023). Research Avenues on use of Augmented Reality in Education. [EBSCOhost]. Retrieved from https://web-p-ebscohost-com.oclc.fullsail.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=13&sid=da267f7d-fdcc-42c1-b7cb-56870f405634%40redis
Taqtile. (2020, August 7). US Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Training with Augmented Reality [Video]. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxoczR8-mwU
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