The acceptance of augmented reality in engineering education: the role of technology optimism and technology innovativeness

This study aims to determine if technology optimism and technology innovativeness can explain and predict the use of augmented reality in the scope of engineering education. An Augmented Reality app to analyze digital current (DC) in resistive circuits was developed was developed to enhance students' understanding of electricity. The app allows the manipulation of circuit elements, computes the voltage and amperage values using the loop method by applying Kirchhoff's voltage law. A model with the following variables was theoretically conceived: subjective norms, technology optimism, technology innovativeness, attitude toward using and behavioral intention to use. The study considered a sample of 173 engineering students and was carried out using structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that subjective norms have a positive effect on technology optimism and technology innovativeness. Further, attitude toward using was found to depend on a medium range of students' characteristics, such as technology optimism and technology innovativeness. The results suggest that the academic environment can influence a student's beliefs concerning new technologies. Understanding how the educational environment can affect students' attitudes toward the use of new technologies can help higher education institutions establish policies for their adoption to facilitate the learning process.