Indian and Australian University Students’ Acceptance of Using Accessible, Web-Based, and Smartphone-Delivered Augmented Reality in Tertiary Learning: A Cross-Country Analysis

Accessible and equitable education is a national priority recently highlighted by the Indian and Australian Governments. New developments in web-based architecture allow augmented reality (AR) lessons to be delivered via smartphone. Although educational technology is commonplace in the Australian curriculum, it is unclear if Indian tertiary students would be welcoming towards web-based mobile learning due to a historically slower uptake and only recent availability of connected devices in their educational system. This study evaluated feedback after using a web-deployed AR smartphone-based application across both Australia (70 participants) and India (100 participants) to see if this technology can assist in capacity building on a global scale. From thematic analyses on the provided feedback, it was identified that Australian students were more focused on the benefits received from the educational technology. In contrast, Indian students were far less critical of the embedded lesson, and more interested in the prospect of introducing the specific technology into their curricula. The data suggests that a rollout of web-based mobile AR for learning in countries more digitally-native should likely prioritise the content within it. Alternatively, for countries recently-introduced to educational technology, such as India, a rollout should focus on embedding the technology itself first. Although there is a risk of learners being distracted by the technology, smartphone web-based AR presents an excellent option to equitably provide a modern, innovative intervention, regardless of wealth, location, or status.