Study on the Effect of Integrated Augmented Reality on Student Performance and Attention Level Using Facial Feature Analysis

Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology that enhances interactive educational modules by helping students to visualize complex concepts, thereby improving engagement and academic performance. This study aimed to assess the effects of an AR-based educational module on students’ cognitive engagement during online learning, specifically focusing on liver cancer cell characterization as an extension of the cell structure topics in the biology syllabus. A total of 104 students were divided into three groups: one using the AR module, another using a conventional module, and a control group. The students’ performances were assessed through pre-test and post-test analyses. Additionally, the facial features of the AR group were analyzed using MediaPipe’s Face Mesh algorithm to calculate the eye aspect ratio (EAR) which determines attention levels based on the opening and closure of the eyes. The results showed that the AR-based module had a positive effect on students' performance (9.73%) compared to the conventional module and effectively captured students' attention during the first half of the lesson. This integration of technology is beneficial for enhancing online teaching practices, particularly when it comes to engaging biomedical engineering students with challenging biology topics like cancer cell characterization.