Technology offers both benefits and challenges in education, especially with augmented reality (AR), which enables interaction with digital characters in real environments. While spatial reasoning is crucial, it is often neglected in preschool due to limited access to suitable curricula and tools. Designing effective AR experiences for young children demands a different approach than traditional touchscreen methods, as it depends on the child’s environment, movements, and abilities, requiring designs that support learning even with limited resources. This tailored approach ensures that AR can be a powerful tool in early childhood education, promoting essential skills in an engaging manner. This design case details the development of an AR tablet app aimed at enhancing preschoolers’ spatial-thinking skills. It includes insights gained from co-designing and testing with teachers and children, how research findings led to app revisions, and the potential benefits of using AR technology for young learners.
Presser et al. (Thu,) studied this question.