Effects of Augmented Reality Gamification on Students' Intrinsic Motivation and Performance.

University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) has been investigating the use of an augmented-reality (AR) educational game to aid in the teaching of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) theories in design and engineering education (DEE). DfMA mastery is critical, as it allows students to create products that are feasible for mass production; it increases material optimization, shortens manufacturing times, and elevates overall quality. However, feedback from students and published research indicates that the topic is complex and underappreciated. Utilizing AR and gamification (GF) is relatively novel in this context, but it has the potential to redefine the topic by giving each student an enhanced learning experience that is fun, engaging, visually appealing, and cognitively stimulating. Our game was developed by a Students-as-Partners (SaP) team at UNNC and combines a tangible puzzle with an AR interface, encouraging collaboration, cooperation, and reflective practices. This research focuses on undergraduate DDE students and aims to understand students’ perceptions of AR educational games and their influence on students’ intrinsic motivation and performance. The results of this study inform the deployment of AR technology in classroom settings, as well as the instructional design of AR and GF learning experiences.