Teacher Professional Development for Effective Incorporation of Augmented Reality Utilizing TPACK, Assessment as Learning, Pace Differentiation, and Dialogic Coaching

This research explored a professional development program for high school teachers to support matching pedagogy to technology and content. The specific use case was the integration of augmented reality into classrooms to support differentiated instruction, coaching, and enhance student comprehension of abstract ideas. A qualitative approach was employed, combining classroom observations to gather data on teachers’ experiences of using augmented reality with semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that while teachers saw great potential for augmented reality as an immersive and interactive learning medium, they also foresaw difficulties in aligning the technology with pedagogical and content objectives without support. Major conclusions drawn from the study highlight the importance of professional development that not only covers technological affordances, but also mentors’ teachers in analyzing how various pedagogical approaches and technologies may interact with specific content knowledge. It was also noted that designing professional development in such a way as to allow teachers to experience learning in the role of students was effective for the learning goals. Finally, reflections regarding technology and the future of education included hopes for a more personalized learning experience and concern that factors like comparisons between students could have negative repercussions, especially as AR is enhanced with artificial intelligence. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to understanding the role of tailored professional development in equipping teachers to effectively incorporate emerging technologies into their teaching strategies, ultimately aiming to foster more dynamic and inclusive educational environments.