Augmented Reality Inquiry in Art Education for Creative Pedagogy

Thesis Abstract

Augmented Reality (AR) technologies offer transformative potential for art education by enabling immersive, inquiry-driven exploration of art processes, materials, and visual culture. This study investigates how AR-based inquiry platforms influence creative pedagogy in secondary and undergraduate art classrooms, addressing the persistent gap between contemporary digital competencies and traditional studio-based instruction. The aim is to evaluate whether structured AR inquiry enhances students’ creative thinking, conceptual development, and reflective practice, compared with conventional teaching methods. Specific objectives are to (1) design and implement an AR inquiry intervention that scaffolds artmaking and interpretation, (2) examine changes in students’ creative thinking as measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) and a novel AR-specific creativity rubric, (3) explore students’ interpretive complexity and reflective practice through thematic analysis of reflective journals, (4) assess teacher facilitator efficacy and adaptability via interviews guided by the TPACK framework, and (5) determine the instructional affordances and constraints of AR inquiry in diverse art education contexts. The study employs a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design conducted across three high schools and two undergraduate art programs over a 14-week semester. The population comprises 2,400 students and 40 art educators. A multi-stage sampling approach selects 12 classes (6 AR intervention, 6 control) and 12 teachers, with 360 students participating in the AR condition and 360 in the control condition. Data collection instruments include a) TTCT and an AR creativity rubric administered pre- and post-intervention, b) a validated AR Inquiry Perception Scale for students, c) reflective journals analyzed via thematic analysis, d) teacher interviews and classroom observations coded through the TPACK lens, and e) a performance assessment of student artworks evaluated by a panel using a standardized rubric. Instrument validity will be established through expert review, pilot testing, and triangulation. Reliability will be assessed via Cronbach’s alpha for scales and inter-rater reliability for qualitative coding. Data analysis integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches. Descriptive statistics and ANCOVA will test differences in TTCT scores and AR creativity rubric results between groups, controlling for baseline measures. Regression analysis will examine predictors of creative outcomes, including frequency of AR use, student engagement, and teacher TPACK scores. Thematic analysis of reflective journals and interview transcripts will identify emergent themes related to inquiry processes, cognitive load, and epistemic shifts in art interpretation. A convergent mixed-methods design will triangulate findings to articulate how AR inquiry mediates creative pedagogy, supported by a process model derived from the theoretical framework. Theoretical grounding combines constructivist learning theory with the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework and Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory to explain how AR tools scaffold inquiry, integrate disciplinary knowledge, and sustain creative engagement. Anticipated findings include (a) statistically significant gains in TTCT and AR-specific creativity assessments for the AR group, (b) richer, more nuanced interpretive statements and higher reflective depth in journals for AR participants, (c) positive shifts in teacher perceived efficacy and adaptability, and (d) identified AR design features that maximize affordances for exploration, projection, and collaborative critique. The study contributes to knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the efficacy of AR-driven inquiry in art education, clarifying how AR supports creative cognition, visual literacy, and reflective practice within the classroom, and offering a pragmatic framework for implementing AR inquiry aligned with TPACK in diverse settings. It also contributes a validated instrument set for measuring AR-informed creativity and an analytic model linking AR features to pedagogical outcomes. The main conclusion is that well-structured AR inquiry can meaningfully elevate creative pedagogy by fostering iterative exploration, multimodal expression, and reflective critique, though effective implementation depends on deliberate alignment of technology, pedagogy, and content. Recommendations include scalable guidelines for AR curriculum design, professional development for teachers anchored in TPACK, strategies to mitigate cognitive load in AR tasks, and further research into long-term impacts on art entrepreneurship and visual literacy.