Educational Innovation with Augmented Reality in the Teaching and Learning of History and Geography in Secondary Education: A Systematic Review

In secondary education, traditional lecture-based approaches in subjects such as history and geography often fail to engage students meaningfully, posing challenges for teachers seeking to foster motivation and deep learning. In this context, augmented reality (AR) has emerged as an innovative educational tool that enables students to interact with historical and geographical content through immersive digital environments. This systematic review aimed to analyze the trends in academic research on the use of AR in the teaching and learning of history and geography in secondary education, to identify the countries with the most research activity, and to examine the instructional methods and pedagogical models that are employed. Using the PRISMA methodology, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across major databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, ScienceDirect, and Springer, focusing on publications from the last six years. A total of 13 relevant studies were selected and analyzed. The findings indicated that AR has a generally positive impact on student motivation, engagement, and academic achievement, offering new possibilities for instructional design that support both cognitive and emotional learning strategies. However, the review also identified barriers to implementation, particularly relating to teachers’ limited training and experience with emerging technologies. This study contributes to the understanding of how AR can enhance history and geography education in secondary schools.