Figure 1. Semi-Experimental Design of the Research
The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a program based on Blended Learning in developing the skills of producing the Augmented Reality Technology among student of Saudi Universities. In order to achieve the objective of the study, descriptive analysis and quasi- experimental design was followed. The study sample was represented in (64) of female students who were enrolled in the Program of Education at Saudi Universities, for the second semester of the academic year 2018/2019. The research tools and materials included were: List of skills for designing the Augmented Reality technology, a cognitive achievement test, productive evaluation card, and learning materials, which was a program based on Blended Learning to design the Augmented Reality technology. In order to obtain the study results, the researchers used SPSS statistics. The study concluded the following results: There were statistically significant difference at the level of significance (0, 05≥) between the two mean scores of the experimental and control group students in the post measurement of the cognitive achievement test of the skills of designing Augmented Reality, in favor of the experimental group. There were statistically significant difference, at the mean level of significance (0,05≥ ) between the average scores of the experimental and control groups on indicators of evaluation of achievement projects in favor of the experimental group. In the light of the findings of the study, a number of recommendations were presented, including the following: Using of the Augmented Reality application to become the standardized version adopted for developing electronic content and preparing teachers to meet the needs of the community, and encouraging faculty members to produce and utilize the Augmented Reality application in teaching all the courses of the different specialties at the university levels.
Recent trends in education technology have contributed to the emergence of new and sophisticated teaching and learning techniques that have had a significant impact on positive changes and developments in the methods of communicating scientific information to students, as well as the content and format of the curriculum, and the techniques produced by the modern trends of Augmented Reality (AR) technology, whose use generates the need for further development and adjustment in all areas, especially in education so that the individual can co-exist and integrate with the modern lifestyle. Modern and current studies are present studying these contemporary techniques in the field of education.
Augmented Reality technology is an extension of virtual reality technology. Novell (2010) defines it as "a system that combines virtual reality environments with real environments through special techniques and methods." p. 60. Keller (2008) points out that most learning environments employ technology to help learners learn. Several studies have found that it is advantageous to use the Augmented Reality in education to develop achievement and motivation (Bacca et al., 2014), increase interaction and cooperation among learners (Mohammed, 2017), and improve their performance (Tan & Lee, 2017).
As a result of the confirmation of some studies on the effectiveness of Augmented Reality and its distinctive use in the field of education with many advantages and the efforts of the Ministry of Education in the development of curricula several studies Al-Rous and Al-Shazly (2018), and the study of Saqqa et al. (2018), study by Shami and Judge (2017), and the study of Zein (2018) have presented the idea of measuring the effect of using Augmented Reality and employing it in the field of educational process in many disciplines such as within the knowledge of the two researchers, and the need to develop the skills of technical design and augmented reality of students for innovation projects.
The logic of the research problem came from:
What is the effectiveness of a program based on Blended Learning in developing the skills of producing the Augmented Reality technology among students of Saudi Universities?
The first hypothesis: There are statistically significant differences at the level of significance (0.05) between the average scores of the experimental group and the control group, in the post-measurement of the cognitive achievement test, in the program based on Blended Learning in developing the skills of producing the Augmented Reality technology for the experimental group.
The second hypothesis: There are statistically significant differences at the level of 0.05 (() α between the average scores of the experimental group students (studied using a suggested program based on Blended Learning) on the scale of the evaluation indicators of achievement projects in favour of the average scores of the experimental group.
Technological development, communication progress, increased knowledge and the transition of the economy to a digital economy have contributed to the increasing role of creative and pioneering ideas (Mekdad, 2010). The Saudi universities have benefited greatly from the changes. This led them to adopt several methods and strategies for innovation and novelty, in addition to the great role of IT in managing this process as the basis of knowledge economy capable of generating and employing knowledge and integrating it into the production system. It is one of the most important objectives of the National Transition Program to achieve the Vision of the Kingdom 2030.
One of the most important techniques used today is Augmented Reality, where teachers can use enhanced reality technology in classrooms to attract attention. Enhanced reality can be defined as the reality between the real world and digital data; enhanced reality now uses live images and videos; the system digitally processes them; the graphics created by the computer are added. (Siltanen, 2012, 16) in (Al-Rous & Al-Shazly, 2018).
The concept of Augmented Reality through the study of the literature of reinforced reality and given the modernity of the term, there were many names referring to this concept, such as reality (added, more, expanded, improved, compact reality, enhanced reality). Larsen et al. (2011): "Add, install and photograph digital data using digital views of the real reality of the environment surrounding the organism, and often from a technological perspective. What is associated with the Augmented Reality is that computers can be worn, or smart devices can be carried" p. 7.
Novell (2010) defined it as "an interactive, multi-user interactive environment, and the user actively participates in the activities offered through freedom of navigation, and interaction. These environments provide real life experiences while providing different degrees of handling and performance for the task that is needed ". p. 17. Ahmed (2017) defined it as, "the technology that provides learners with real experiences within a virtual environment”.
Dougherty (2018) defined the combined reality as "a hybrid reality that integrates real reality with virtual reality to create a new environment.”
Qualcomm Technologies (2018) defined the extended reality as "a set of techniques that can be represented on the axis of one end representing real reality " p. 3
Dougherty (2018) defined the reality as "the reality that encompasses essentially all the environments created, which depend on the interaction between man and machine, and combine real and virtual reality, and usually include various forms of virtual reality, enhanced reality and compact reality, especially those associated with a sense of existence and knowledge acquisition".
Sharif (2017) and Radu (2012) mention the importance of Augmented Reality in education as follows:
To test the validity of the research hypothesis and to answer its questions, the current research has followed the semi-experimental approach, which is best suited to the effectiveness of a program based on Blended Learning in developing the skills of producing the Augmented Reality technology in innovation projects of students enrolled in the Innovation Management Program at the University of Taiba.
The research was based on semi-experimental design, where the sample was divided into two groups (experimental group and control group). Figure 1 illustrates the semi-experimental design of the research.
Figure 1. Semi-Experimental Design of the Research
The research community involves all students enrolled in t h e program of management innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Taibah. The study sample consisted of female students enrolled in the program of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Management at Taibah University for the year 2018. The total number of female students were 64, with 33 students as experimental group and 31 females as control group.
The following is a description of the preparation of research tools and materials in detail:
3.3.1 The achievement Test
The collection test was prepared according to the following step, in Figure 1.
The goal of the achievement test is to measure the achievement in innovation projects designed using the Blippar tool for students enrolled in the Bloomberg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Management Program at the Bloom (recall, understanding, analysis) level. The purpose of its application is to ensure that the two groups are equal in terms of prior knowledge. It is a comparison of the collection of experimental and control groups to determine the effect of the independent variable-a proposed electronic program based on the "Blippar" tool - that was experienced by the experimental group.
The number of test paragraphs was determined by 15 paragraphs. Table 1 shows the number of test subjects at each cognitive level (memory, comprehension, analysis). The test paragraphs were distributed on each subject as follows.
Table 1. Table of Specifications for the Achievement Test
The test consisted of 15 multiple-choice questions. The test instructions were formulated in clear terms that included the purpose of the test and the specified time. It also took into account the conditions that must be taken into consideration when preparing multiple choice tests: (Alternatives are independent of each other-Number of Alternatives (4)-Order of Alternatives Descending- Correct answer position among randomized alternatives - all alternatives are fairly homogeneous).
The validity of the test is confirmed by the use of honesty: the honesty of the arbitrators. This type of honesty is achieved by presenting the test to a number of specialists and experts in the field to measure the test, to judge the conformity of the test paragraphs with the content of the collection area and its objectives. The test was presented in its initial form to a group of experienced and specialized arbitrators from the teaching staff of the Department of Educational Technology, the Department of Computer Science, as well as from the Ministry of Education. The views agreed upon by most of the arbitrators were adopted, and the amendments were made, and the test was therefore finalized.
Alpha-Kronbach's stability was measured in order to calculate the stability of the test axes and its overall grade using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).
The enhanced reality technology based on the "Blippar" model according to the international model (ADDIE MODEL) is designed for its research. This model consists of five stages:
The first stage of the educational design, and at this stage the needs of the design process was analyzed according to the following steps:
This is the Second Stage of the Educational Design, in which the following is done.
Figure 2. Digital Content Built-in Image
This was the third stage of educational design. At this stage, educational media was being prepared using a set of programs and applications to develop the enhanced reality based on the Blippar tool, namely powtoon / 3d max / Moovly / Audacity / Active Presenter.
The following stages were under this educational design:
After the completion of the enhanced reality technology, it was presented to a group of experienced and competent arbitrators to determine their suitability, suitability for their purpose, their observance of educational and technical standards, their suitability to the age group of the students and their suggestions of addition, modification or deletion. And their quality within the framework of their specific objectives.
In order to verify the equivalence of the control and experimental groups, the statistical differences between them must be identified in the tribal application to test the cognitive achievement of the technical skills of the enhanced reality at all cognitive levels represented by the test (memory, comprehension, analysis) and the total test. For this purpose, the following had been used:
Table 2. T-test results for Independent Groups to Identify Differences Between the Control and Experimental Groups in the Tribal Application to Test the Cognitive Achievement of Technical Skills
There were no statistically significant differences in the tribal application to test the cognitive achievement of technical design skills in the enhanced reality at all levels of Cognitive knowledge represented by the test (memory, comprehension, analysis) and total testing, where all levels of significance for T test were greater than (0.05).
The results show a parity between the control and experimental groups in the tribal application to test the cognitive achievement of the technical skills of the enhanced reality at all Cognitive levels represented by the test (remembering, understanding, analysing) and overall testing.
5.1.2 Verification of the Hypotheses of the Study
To validate this hypothesis was used:
ETA box (B2) to identify the impact of teaching using a suggested program based on Blended Learning in the development of knowledge achievement of technical design skills enhanced reality, in the experimental group compared to the control group.
Black equation for the average gain, to verify the effectiveness of teaching using a suggested program based on Blended Learning in the development of knowledge achievement of technical design skills enhanced reality of students in the experimental group.
Table (3) shows:
Table 3. T-test Results for Independent Groups to Identify Differences Between the control and Experimental Groups in the Post-Application to Test the Cognitive Achievement of Technical Design Skills Enhanced Reality
There were statistically significant differences in the postapplication of the cognitive achievement test of the technical design skills of the enhanced reality at all cognitive levels represented by the test (memory, comprehension, analysis) and the total test. All of these differences were in the direction of the students of the experimental group with the highest mathematical averages.
The above results indicate a positive effect of teaching using a suggested program based on Blended Learning in the development of the cognitive achievement of technical design skills in the experimental group compared to the control group students at all levels of knowledge represented by the test ) and the overall test.
Table (4) shows that all ETA values for the levels of cognitive achievement testing for technical design skills are enhanced (0.14) identified by Cohen to determine the magnitude of the high impact. This result indicates that there is a strong positive effect of teaching using a suggested program based on Blended Learning in the development of knowledge acquisition of technical design skills enhanced reality among experimental group students compared to control group students.
Table 4. The Result of ETA (B2) to Measure the Effect of Teaching Using a Suggested Program Based on Blended Learning in the Development of Cognitive Achievement of Technical Design Skills in the Experimental Group Compared to Control Group
It is clear from Table (5) that teaching using a suggested program based on Blended Learning has a high degree of effectiveness in the development of the knowledge achievement of the technical design skills of the experimental group students. All values of the average gain ratio were greater than (1.20). It is defined by Black to prove effectiveness.
Table 5. The Result of the Average Gain Equation for Verifying the Effectiveness of Teaching Using a Suggested Program Based on Blended Learning in the Development of the Cognitive Achievement of Technical Design Skills Enhanced Reality
Based on the results shown in Tables (4) to (5), the hypothesis of the first study confirmed the positive and effective effect of teaching using a suggested program based on Blended Learning in the development of the cognitive achievement of the technical design skills of the experimental group from the University of Taiba.
The result of the first hypothesis can be explained by indicating that the present research - within the limits of the two researchers' knowledge - is unique in its variants (independent / a suggested program based on Blended Learning, the construct and product evaluation) and the Zein (2018) study, and the results of the present study were consistent with previous studies (Kose et al., 2013). That learning programs, environments and systems have contributed to the delivery of knowledge content, increased efficiency of educational outcomes and increased retention of information and there were differences between the groups in the cognitive side, and came different with the study of Khater (2018) as the study did not show any effectiveness on the side of achievement attributed to the factor of memory of cognitive information, which had already been studied in the previous semester.
The two researchers attribute the result of the hypothesis of the first study to:
To validate this hypothesis was used:
Table (6) for the average of the scores obtained by the experimental group students according to the product quality standards and indicators shows the following:
Table 6. Arithmetical Mean, Standard Deviation, Test Value of One Group, Rank and Grade of Grades Obtained by the Experimental Group According to Educational Product Quality Standards and Indicators
Based on the above results, it is possible to say that the results of the current study agrees with the study of Zein (2018), which used a product assessment card to evaluate the products of the students of the program proposed in the present study. The researchers attribute this result to the nature of the proposed program and its content, in addition to allowing them to practice the skills and train them according to the self-step, which reflected their products from the enhanced reality.
Based on the results of the study, the researchers recommend the following: