Using Augmented Reality Resources to Develop Creative Thinking in Future Teachers

Abstract

The problem and the purpose. One of the challenges in higher education is the search for effective learning formats with didactic potential for developing systemic, critical, creative, and other types of thinking demanded by the digital society. The authors propose the artificial intelligence technology to develop creative thinking as a universal skill that meets the challenges of transformation and globalization. The aim of the study is to identify opportunities for future teachers to interact with services for creating content with augmented reality elements to develop their creative thinking. Research methods. Information interaction in the AR space was supported by the MyWebAR and Web-AR.Studio services and implemented in classes in the course "Theory and Methods of Teaching Computer Science". The experimental research was conducted at Vyatka State University (Russian Federation). The study involved 68 students majoring in 44.03.05 Pedagogical Education, majoring in Physics and Computer Science. To assess critical thinking, the authors used the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (non-verbal tasks). The Pearson's chi-squared test was used for statistical data processing. KEYWORDS Results. A distinctive feature of the presented activity: on the one hand, the AR service is the object of study (capabilities, templates, settings). On the other hand, the use of AR services is an additional resource for developing creative thinking. The work of students in the experimental group was organized according to the following stages: familiarization with the interface and platform project templates; analysis of project settings; study of algorithms for creating, adding, and grouping models; setting an assignment to create their own project; analysis of created projects, advice on their improvement; demonstration of implementation in educational processes. Statistically significant differences in the qualitative changes that occurred in the pedagogical system were revealed (χ2 = 9.504, p < 0.05). Conclusion. The factors influencing the quality of AR services' application for developing teachers' creative thinking were identified. They are: generation and implementation of new ideas; original presentation of solution structures; modeling of interactive information exchange and feedback collection.