Augmented Reality Curatorial Practice in Art Education for Inclusive Learning

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how augmented reality (AR) curatorial practice can enhance inclusive learning in art education by addressing accessibility, engagement, and critical visual literacy among diverse learner groups. The problem addressed is the limited scalability of traditional museum and gallery experiences for students with diverse needs, including individuals with disabilities, language barriers, and varied spatial-temporal learning preferences. The aim is to develop, implement, and evaluate an AR-curatorial framework that integrates multimodal annotation, interactive 3D reconstructions, and culturally responsive storytelling to support inclusive participation in art learning contexts. Specific objectives are to (1) design an AR-curatorial toolkit that aligns with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, (2) examine changes in student engagement, accessibility satisfaction, and learning outcomes across inclusive cohorts, (3) investigate teachers’ and curators’ pedagogical practices in deploying AR annotations and spatially anchored content, (4) analyze the relationship between AR-driven interventions and the development of visual literacy and critical inquiry skills, and (5) formulate a scalable implementation model for classroom and community gallery contexts. The study adopts a pragmatic mixed-methods design. A multi-site case study will be conducted in three urban art education settings over two academic terms, encompassing a total population of 240 learners aged 12–18 and 18 teachers/curators. A purposive sample of 120 learners with diverse accessibility needs and 12 educators will participate in AR-enabled modules, with 60 learners and 6 educators in a control condition receiving standard non-AR instruction. Data will be collected using (a) standardized engagement and accessibility satisfaction surveys (pre- and post-intervention), (b) performance-based assessments of visual literacy and critical inquiry (concept mapping, artifact interpretation tasks), (c) semi-structured interviews and focus groups with learners, teachers, and curators, (d) classroom observations using a coding scheme for inclusive pedagogical practices, and (e) system logs and analytics from the AR platform capturing interaction patterns, time-on-task, and annotation usage. Validity and reliability will be addressed through triangulation, member checking, inter-rater reliability for qualitative coding (Cohen’s kappa ? 0.80), and instrument pilot testing (Cronbach’s alpha ? 0.80 for quantitative scales). Data analysis will involve (i) descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to assess differences between AR and non-AR groups on engagement, accessibility satisfaction, and learning outcomes; (ii) hierarchical linear modeling to account for nested data at student and classroom levels; (iii) thematic analysis of interview and focus group data to extract salient themes regarding pedagogical practices, inclusivity experiences, and perceived affordances/constraints of AR; and (iv) regression analyses to explore predictors of enhanced visual literacy gains. A conceptual model drawing on Activity Theory and the Universal Design for Learning framework will be tested to elucidate how AR-curatorial interventions mediate learner participation and learning outcomes. Expected findings include (a) AR-curatorial interventions will significantly increase engagement metrics and accessibility satisfaction for learners with diverse needs; (b) improvements in visual literacy and critical interpretation skills will be higher in the AR condition, mediated by increased opportunities for multimodal representation and guided annotation; (c) teachers and curators will report shifts toward more inclusive pedagogical repertoires, including scaffolded prompts, flexible sequencing, and locally relevant curatorial narratives; and (d) interaction data will reveal higher levels of sustained task engagement and collaborative problem-solving in AR-enhanced activities. The study will contribute to knowledge by operationalizing an evidence-based AR-curatorial framework, validating an inclusive assessment model for AR-enhanced art education, and offering a scalable implementation blueprint for schools and community galleries. The main conclusion anticipated is that AR-curatorial practice substantively broadens access to artistic inquiry and fosters more equitable participation, without compromising instructional quality. Recommendations include practical guidelines for selecting accessible AR content, designing inclusive annotations, professional development for teachers, and policy considerations for integrating AR into art education curricula at scale. The research also identifies avenues for further inquiry, such as cross-cultural validations of the framework, long-term impacts on student identity formation in art education, and cost-benefit analyses of AR deployment in diverse educational settings.