How do pedagogical approaches affect the impact of augmented reality on education? A meta-analysis and research synthesis

Augmented Reality (AR) is gaining popularity in educational processes due to its recognized efficacy for teaching and learning. Many studies have identified the trends, advantages, opportunities, challenges, and impact of this technology on education. However, most of the previous studies failed to analyze the pedagogical approaches, somehow ignoring that the success of an intervention depends not only on the technical characteristics of the technology but also on the pedagogical strategies to implement them. This study presents a quantitative meta-analysis of 46 empirical studies to identify, in the light of the learning theories, how pedagogical approaches affect the impact of AR on education. In addition, we analyzed the impact of moderating variables on students' learning outcomes in AR interventions. The results indicate that the highest impact was obtained when interventions employed the collaborative pedagogical approach. Based on the findings of this study, we provide insights for researchers and practitioners on what characteristics of AR interventions seem to benefit students' learning outcomes and how pedagogical approaches can be applied in various educational contexts, to guide the design of future AR interventions.