The Effectiveness of Gamified Augmented Reality in Higher Education: A Case Study of MARA 5.0 in a Public University
Abstract
This study aims to determine the impact of an augmented reality (AR) game on students' learning experience. The effects of the AR game Mission AR Apocalypse (MARA) 5.0 on students' learning experiences at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) were assessed. A survey of 750 students was conducted before and after playing the game in June 2024. There were seven dimensions of learning evaluated. Scores significantly increased after the intervention across all areas of learning. The highest increase was in conceptual understanding (mean 2.41 to 4.39), followed by learning motivation (2.23 to 3.93). The results indicate that initial technology-related difficulty was manageable. The findings imply that AR can improve understanding and motivation, but further implementation requires broadening use in challenging subjects, targeted training, and equal access to the devices needed. The results indicate that AR can be used in higher education to support active learning. In many cases, this requires overcoming barriers to usability for students and instructor resistance. The barriers can hinder learning in complex topics.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Hamid Abdul Halim, Hairulnizam Hashim, Masrur Mohd Khir, Nor Azzura Nordin, Ryan Kang Jee Hong, Natalie Loi Yoke Kei
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