A research on evaluating the impact on some variables for mechanics laboratory experiments developed with augmented reality and qr code technologies

This research study aims to identify the impacts of augmented reality and QR code based mechanics laboratory experiments (mechanical and linear motion, simple harmonic motion, inclined plane at air table, variable "g" pendulum, free fall) on physics teacher candidates' academic performance, attitude and concerns towards physics laboratories. The research has been carried out with the quantitative research method according to the sampling model. Quasi-experimental design with pre-test / post-test control groups were used as the test model. The research study included 16 teacher candidates at 2nd grade. They were taking FZÖ203 Mechanics Laboratory course during 2016-2017 fall semester at Hacettepe University Mathematics and Science Education School, Physics Education Department. In this study "Fundamental Science Laboratory Achievement Test", "Attitude Scale Towards Physics Laboratory" and "Physics Laboratory Concerns Scale" were used to evatuate the performance and the attitude and to analyze the concerns of the teacher candidates. In addition, semi-structured interviews with six of the teacher candidates were carried out in order to support the findings of the research conducted Mann-Whitney U Test and Wilcoxon marked rows. Test were used to analyze the data obtained from the research study and the result obtained showed that AG and QR code-based mechanics laboratory experiments have positively influenced the academic performance and attitude of teacher candidates and decreased their concerns. In parallel to results obtained, it is highly recommended that AG and QR code Technologies should not only be used for physics education but also can be extended to other applied laboratory sciences as well.