“Wow! This Is So Cool”: Learning Spanish with Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) enables users to see or interact with virtual objects in real-world environments. This case study examines three AR lessons integrated into a beginner-level Spanish course at a university. The participants were 18 undergraduate students enrolled in this class. The AR lessons portrayed a classroom, a coffee shop, and a family setting aimed at improving students’ retention of Spanish vocabulary related to each AR environment. The research data included pre-test and post-test scores, in-class observations, and interviews. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted before and after the AR sessions to examine vocabulary retention. The quantitative findings revealed significant differences in test scores among all three interventions, suggesting the efficacy of AR-based learning methods. A thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative data, encompassing interviews with six students and in-class observations. Students shared that the AR-based lessons made learning more engaging and enhanced vocabulary recall. Student interactions increased, and the AR-based lessons inspired students to transition from technology users to designers. This study addresses the need for more AR learner-centered empirical studies in learning Spanish and provides implications for AR educational application design and implementations.