Enhancing 3D Printing Education Through Game-Based Augmented Reality and Gamification: An Empirical Study

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and gamification into the educational process for 3D printing, with the primary aim of assessing their impact on student engagement, understanding, motivation, and perception. A quasi-experimental pre-test-intervention-post-test design was employed, involving a convenience sample of 50 university students from Amity University Kolkata. Data was collected using a standardized 10-question survey, which utilized a 5-point Likert scale, administered before and after an immersive learning intervention. This intervention included direct instruction on AR/VR and gamification, complemented by engagement with a small game application that provided rewards for progress.¹

Key findings from the descriptive statistics reveal a significant positive shift in student perceptions. The mean total score increased substantially from 30.34 in the pre-test to 42.92 in the post-test, representing an approximate 41.5% improvement. Concurrently, the standard deviation decreased from 4.70 to 3.61, indicating a more consistent and positive consensus among participants following the intervention. Frequency distributions further illustrate this transformation, showing a dramatic shift from 'Neutral' or 'Undecided' responses in the pre-test to a combined proportion of 'Agree' and 'Strongly Agree' responses often exceeding 80% or 90% in the post-test for almost all questions.¹

Inferential statistics, specifically a paired samples t-test, confirmed a statistically significant improvement in student performance. The mean score increased by 12.58 points, yielding a t-statistic of 16.83 with a p-value < 0.00001. This robust statistical evidence strongly rejects the null hypothesis, confirming that the use of AR and gamification positively influenced learning outcomes.¹

In conclusion, this study provides compelling evidence that integrating AR and gamification significantly enhances student learning in 3D printing education. The marked increase in post-test performance underscores the effectiveness of interactive, immersive technologies in promoting superior conceptual understanding and active learner engagement. These results strongly suggest that such technology-driven approaches can serve as powerful pedagogical tools, particularly in technical and design-based education, supporting their broader adoption as meaningful alternatives to traditional teaching methods.¹ The precise numerical improvements presented here, including the substantial mean score increase, the high t-statistic, and the extremely low p-value, underscore the quantitative rigor of this investigation, immediately conveying the study's robust and impactful findings.