Υποβολή Διπλωματικής Εργασίας: Submission #272

Περίληψη (Αγγλική μετάφραση) The present Master’s Thesis focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of educational material for asynchronous Distance Learning (DL) training of Primary Education teachers. The subject of the training is "Augmented Reality (AR) in Education," with an emphasis on the Blippar platform and the design of educational scenarios. The training was conducted via the Chamilo platform, involving Primary Education teachers from Heraklion, Crete. The primary objective of the research, which was based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of one anonymous questionnaire for DL experts and six anonymous questionnaires for the participating teachers (initial, four intermediate, and final), was to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the educational material, as well as to investigate the participants' attitudes toward AR before and after the intervention.
The findings from the DL experts' evaluation, indicated that the educational material is designed in accordance with the principles of multimedia learning, is scientifically and bibliographically documented, and effectively incorporates the research goals and expected learning outcomes. Furthermore, the material was found to be user-friendly, original, and capable of providing continuous feedback, while presenting new knowledge in a simple, comprehensible manner through interactive elements.
Prior to the training, teachers demonstrated a theoretical acceptance of AR's pedagogical value but faced difficulties in its practical integration, primarily due to a lack of technical infrastructure and specialized, hands-on training.The training was deemed successful and decisive, transforming this theoretical acceptance into a strong conviction regarding the integration of AR in the classroom, leading to a positive shift in attitude and the acquisition of practical skills. The overall assessment of the educational material was positive; teachers gave higher ratings to the modules providing clear foundational knowledge and directly applicable templates/scenarios (Modules 1 & 4), while lower levels of satisfaction were noted in modules involving technical details or analytical design methodology (Modules 2 & 3). In conclusion, this thesis demonstrates the need for practical, technically supported, and interactive distance training, confirming that high-quality, targeted educational material can lead to a significant positive change in teachers' attitudes and skills regarding the integration of innovative technologies, such as Augmented Reality.