Designing augmented reality for makerspaces: Guidelines, lessons and mitigation strategies from 5+ years of AR educational projects

Abstract

Makerspaces are a relatively recent type of open-ended environment where users learn through authentic problem solving and interactions with peers. Augmented reality (AR) technology can improve learning and collaboration in such spaces, but it is unclear how one might design AR applications suitable for the physical, social and pedagogical richness of these environments. In this paper we present 5 research projects that explored the use of AR in makerspaces, covering various learning topics, physical configurations, and collaborative activities. We discuss lessons learned and distill these into 14 design guidelines. We conclude with a discussion of tensions to consider when designing AR for open-ended learning environments.

Keywords

• Augmented and virtual reality
• Cooperative/collaborative learning
• Informal learning
• Human-computer interface