Over the past decade, the Mexican education system has faced numerous challenges, demonstrating that the urgent need for major changes and reforms has effectively improved the quality of education. Under the standards set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (OECD), Mexico has gradually received a competency-based education (CBE) model since 2004. Students’ skills, abilities and knowledge aim to improve professional and daily life abilities. Unlike traditional educational methods that focus on credits and grades, the CBE model evaluates learning based on time and learning of mastery and skills, thereby promoting exploratory, constructive, active, contextual, and reflective learning methods. In this context, various approaches are being explored in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to overcome the unique challenges facing the Mexican educational landscape, including the need for professional teaching staff and the drive for digital transformation.
A post in Computer and Education: X Reality, led by Dr. Brandon Cárdenas-Sainz and Dr. María Barrón-Estrada, as well as Professor Ramón Zatarain-Cabada of the National Institute of Technology of Mexico and Maria Chavez from Arizona State University -Professor Echeagaray explores the integration of extended reality (XR) technology with physics education. This collaborative effort has led to the development and evaluation of the Web-based XR learning application Physxr, designed to significantly enhance students’ participation and understanding in physics, especially focusing on Newtonian mechanics.
Dr. María Barrón-Estrada describes the core of Physxr: “PhysXR is a web-based learning application that provides an interactive experience in VR and AR environments. It uses simulators to experiment with physical phenomena such as dynamics and kinematics. Physxr shows students various topics related to physical appearance through demonstrations and interactive exercises in XR. “The tool aims to transform traditional learning environments where complexity is done by providing students with a engaging and immersive virtual space. The physical concept becomes more accessible and exciting.
Brandon Cárdenas-Sainz highlighted the importance of motivation in the learning process, noting: “This study argues that stimulus motivation uses digital tools to educate as an important aspect of the design and development process, which is related to several variables that influence learning. and its effectiveness. “The study uses John Keller’s motivational model to emphasize the need for educational tools not only to convey knowledge, but also to inspire and encourage students to actively explore and learn.
Carefully plan this method effectively evaluates the impact of PhysXR tools. It starts with recruiting students and then randomly splitting them into experimental (VR and AR) or control groups. Using remote meetings facilitated by video conferencing and online communication platforms, the team conducted pretests to measure prior knowledge and device availability surveys. After this, the intervention session introduced students to the Physxr application, who participated in topics about kinematics and dynamics through interactive demonstrations. The effectiveness of the intervention was later evaluated through post-test and motivational investigations.
The research of Cárdenas-Sainz and Dr. Barrón-Estrada has fully validated the positive impact of XR implementation in the Mexican educational environment. Their development of PhysXR for web-based learning applications showed a statistically significant positive impact on student motivation while simultaneously improving learning achievement. This innovative approach enables students to develop self-learning abilities and enhance their understanding of the mathematical abstractions of the foundations of Newtonian mechanics. The findings further highlight the particular suitability of XR learning tools to teach Newtonian mechanics, demonstrating a preference for XR implementations that allow access to Mexican students’ mobile devices, accessibility, portability and ease of use. PhysXR as a web-based application development allows it to act as a multiplier learning tool, providing real-time physical simulations for students in interactive environments with different levels of immersion. This approach enriches students’ self-taught experiences, far beyond traditional teaching methods, and is consistent with other assessments that view XR technology as an educational and motivational purpose.
Journal Reference
BA Cardenas-Sainz et al., Extended Reality (XR) technology assessment of students’ motivation for learning physics in Mexican schools, Computer and Education: X Reality, 3 (2023) 100036.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cexr.2023.100036.
About the Author
María Lucía Barrón Estrada He is a teaching and teaching specialist in Tecnm-Tecnm-Tecnm-Tecnm-Tecnológicode Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. She received her PhD in Computer Science from the Florida Institute of Technology and her Master of Computer Science from the Tecnológicode Toluca Institute. Her research interests include educational technology, intelligent and emotional systems for education, augmented and virtual reality, and software development. Dr. Barrón is a Level 3 member of the National Researchers of Mexico (SNII) and an honorary member of the technician and researcher system at Sinaloa State (SSIT). She won the Sinaloa Science and Technology Award in 2018. She also won the Best Paper Award at 3 different international conferences. She participated in technical committees at several international conferences. She is a regular contributor to the AI and Education column of Komputer Sapiens magazine. She is vice president of the Mexican Academy of Computing and a member of the Conacyt Research Network for Applied Computing Intelligence (REDICA), the Mexican Computer Science Society (SMCC), and the Mexican Artificial Intelligence Society (SMIA).
Ramón Zatarain Cabada He is a professor of the PhD in Engineering and Computer Science and MSC Program in Tecnológico DeCuliacán (ITC) in Mexico. He received his Master of Science and PhD. He received his PhD in Computer Science from Florida Institute of Technology in 1984 and 2003, respectively. His main research interests include artificial intelligence in education, intelligent coaching systems, augmented reality and emotional computing applied to education. He is a regular member of AMEXCOMP (Mexico Institute of Computing). Dr. Zatarain-Cabada is a member of the National Researchers System (Conacyt, Mexico). He won the Sonaroa Science and Technology Award in 2017. He leads academic groups and emotional computing labs, and he organizes international seminars on the Intelligent Learning Environment (WILE) every year. He is a member of Conacyt Redica (Applied Computational Intelligence Research Network), the Mexican Computer Science Society (SMCC), and the Mexican Artificial Intelligence Society (SMIA).
Brandon Caldens-Sains He was born in 1994 in Culiacan, Mexico, in Senaloa. He received his Bachelor of Mechanical and Electrical Integration Chemistry in 2017, a Bachelor of Computer Science in 2019 and a Doctor of Engineering Science in 2023 from Tecnm -Instituto -Instituto Tepitutotecnológicode Culiacan, Mexico, Mexico. His research interests include artificial intelligence, computer vision, human computer interaction, interactive environments and extended reality. He is a member of Conacyt Redica (Applied Computational Intelligence Research Network) and the Mexican Computer Science Society (SMCC).
María E. Chavez–Echeagaray is a computer educator and researcher at the Arizona State University IRA A. Fulton School of Engineering and the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence. The research areas of interest to Dr. Chavez Echeagaray focus on user, client and learner experiences, human computing interactions, emotional computing, educational technology, engineering education, intelligent mentor systems and software engineering.
