Extended Evaluation of the Effectiveness Study of an AR App as a Preparation Tool for Electrical Engineering Laboratory Courses

At Paderborn University, a new Augmented Reality Application (AR App) named PEARL has been developed to assist electrical engineering students in preparing for mandatory laboratory sessions. This app allows students to interact with laboratory devices, such as oscilloscopes, in a manner that is both intuitive and realistic, without being restricted by time or location. A comprehensive effectiveness study was carried out involving students from two different universities to evaluate the impact of PEARL on enhancing both knowledge and motorical skills. The participants were categorized into two groups: an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). The findings indicate growth in skill levels across both groups, as assessed through online testing, although no significant disparities were observed between them. Similarly, while significant enhancements in lab-related anxiety, self-efficacy, and self-confidence were noted for both groups, no notable differences between the groups were detected. Furthermore, the user experience (UX) evaluation of the app showed favorable ratings in terms of “Novelty”, “Attractiveness”, and “Stimulation”. However, ratings in “Perspicuity”, “Efficiency”, and notably “Dependability” were less favorable due to some persistent bugs present during the study. This paper provides a deeper and extended evaluation of these findings.