The Practice of Augmented Reality in Islamic Education and the Level of Motivation Among UAE Secondary School Students

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the existence of a relationship between the practice of augmented reality and motivation. The descriptive survey method was used on a sample of 310 students, 165 of whom were females and 145 of them were males. A questionnaire was conducted to determine the extent of augmented reality practice in education. Islamic education consists of five dimensions, namely, the use of augmented reality by Islamic education teachers in Islamic education, readiness to use augmented reality in Islamic education, benefit from augmented reality in Islamic education, employment of augmented reality in Islamic education, and the ability to deal with difficulties. To investigate augmented reality in Islamic education, a questionnaire was conducted to measure students’ motivation level, consisting of four dimensions: perseverance, goal setting, ambition, and perceived competence. The arithmetic means were used to calculate the level of each of the practices of augmented reality and motivation. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to calculate the association between AR practice and motivation. The study found that the level of augmented reality practice was medium, while the level of motivation was high. Also, a positive relationship was found between each of the augmented reality and motivation with a statistical significance at (α < 0.05), and the study also found that there are differences between the sexes in favor of females in both the practice of augmented reality and motivation with a statistical significance at (α < 0.05). There are statistically significant differences between grades in favor of the eleventh grade in practicing augmented reality at (α < 0.05). In the end, the researcher recommended conducting more research to determine the effectiveness of augmented reality in teaching Islamic education and urged designers to design applications that use augmented reality in teaching Islamic education effectively.

1. Introduction

Augmented reality or AR has become one of the technologies that is changing the shape of teaching and learning. Fitria and Nawfal (Fitria 2023; Nawfal 2010) define augmented reality as combining actual reality and virtual reality by placing elements of the real environment with virtual reality elements and displaying them in the real environment in specific ways and methods. Augmented reality is used to enhance the standard textbooks and study tools currently used in schools and add on them to support student learning using augmented reality technologies, as AR applications are easier to use and less expensive than VR applications and technologies. Therefore, students can use their different senses, such as hearing and sight, to deal with and perceive the existing information. Students can also represent and test existing information dynamically. Nikimaleki and Rahimi (2022) and Catenazzi and Sommaruga (2013) also believe that augmented reality and its technologies provide students with a meaningful education.

Many educators and teachers have resorted to using augmented reality technology in education to solve the problem of the weakness of traditional education, especially the problems related to its monotony and its focus on filling the brains of students rather than helping them learn and comprehend the material. Using AR in class increases discussion and dialogue about the topic to be taught and helps develop students’ sensory perception, as students see explanations and images, especially three-dimensional images, and control these effects. This gives the educational process more dynamism and activity and attracts students’ attention to what is being taught.

Many studies have investigated the use of augmented reality in education, indicating its positive impact on motivation and recommending that teachers use it in the educational process, including Al-Mashharawi’s (2020) study on the effect of using augmented reality on both academic achievement and motivation in teaching technology in Gaza strip, which is also aligned with Areepattamannil et al. (2023).

Motivation itself is considered a basic goal in education. Increasing students’ motivation and interest in learning the subject and generating interest in it makes them more likely to practice cognitive and non-cognitive activities inside and outside school and within the limits of school curricula; moreover, it also has an impact in the long run on the students’ future lives, such as whether they enroll in higher education or engage in the labor market. One of the reasons why motivation is also important is that it is a tool that helps students achieve certain educational goals effectively because it is considered one of the factors in the student’s ability to achieve. Through motivation, we know the activities that students tend to do and others they avoid and what stimuli affect their motivation, reinforce their behaviors, and urge them to achieve their goals, so that they become persistent and work actively and effectively (Brown 2023; Al-Sanea 2008).

2. Study Problem

The use of traditional methods while explaining lessons in class, and reliance on recitation and repetition by the teacher, renders the educational content of those lessons far removed from real life and its problems. This method makes students dependent on memorization and stuffing their brains with information and reduces the importance of understanding, research skills, and critical thinking. One of the defects of education through traditional means and methods lies in the inability of students to employ all their senses and comprehend what is explained during the lessons, especially if it relies on visual concepts and motor instructions because visualization skills are not addressed and dealt with by teachers and students during lessons (Al-Mashharawi 2020).

This results in a decrease in motivation among students, as its increase supports and helps learning among learners, and its decrease constitutes an obstacle to learning opportunities and activities that enable these students to control their education, and this is confirmed by the study of Alwan and Khaled (2010), which investigated the role of internal motivation in improving academic achievement. Moreover, Qanoua’s (2019) study found that there is a correlation between motivation to learn and problem-solving behavior.

This decline in motivation and academic achievement in Islamic education among students is due to several reasons, and among these reasons is the students’ lack of interest in the contents of the scheduled lessons, in addition to the monotony and routine of those lessons in terms of the method of presentation and presentation. Also included is the students’ lack of understanding and perception of the content and the lack of effective opportunities for sensory exploration and learning.

Many studies have shown that AR technologies have great educational benefits, such as encouraging creativity, alleviating anxiety, increasing participation, and many others (Wedyan et al. 2022); however, despite these benefits, this technology has not gained the spread it deserves (De Lima et al. 2022), especially among Islamic education teachers.

One could notice a decrease in students’ motivation toward learning and applied performance due to Islamic education teachers’ use of traditional methods and means of teaching. Therefore, the recommendation of the study of Mustafa (2023) and Alsqria and Al-Salmi (2020) came in the practice of applying augmented reality, which links the curriculum and the real environment, as it does not receive a sufficient degree of application among Islamic education teachers.

3. Study Questions

• Are there statistically significant differences in the level of practice of augmented reality among Islamic education teachers from the point of view of secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi due to the variables of gender and grade?
• Is there a statistically significant correlation at the significance level (α ≥ 0.05) between the practice of augmented reality among Islamic education teachers and the level of motivation of secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi?

4. Methodology

The study relied on the descriptive, correlational approach to achieve its objectives. This approach was used to analyze and describe the correlation between the practice of augmented reality in Islamic education and motivation among secondary school students. The data for this study were collected from a sample of 310 male and female students in Abu Dhabi’s secondary schools utilizing the purposive sampling technique. This method involves intentionally selecting participants who best fit the study’s goals, in other words, all selected participants have sufficient characteristics pertaining to the research aim. A total of 46.77% of the students (145) were male and 53.23% of the students (165) were female. Also, 33.55% of the students (104) were in grade 10, 34.19% of the students (106) were in grade 11, and 32.26% of the students (100) were in grade 12. The students were asked to fill in two surveys, one on motivation, which used a modified version of the IMMS, and a survey on the practice of augmented reality.

4.1. Key Variables

Practice of Augmented Reality (AR): Refers to how AR technologies are utilized in teaching Islamic education, including aspects such as usage by teachers, readiness, benefits, implementation, and overcoming challenges.

• Motivation: Defined as the drive to achieve educational goals on all levels (knowledge, skills, and attitudes), measured through four dimensions:
• Perseverance: The ability to maintain effort in learning despite difficulties.
• Goal Setting: The process of identifying and striving towards educational objectives.
• Ambition: The desire to achieve higher levels of academic success.
• Perceived Competence: Students’ self-belief in their ability to succeed academically.

4.2. Data Collection Tool

The questionnaire was developed by the authors and has been validated through a peer-review process, including faculty and experts working with the authors. The questionnaire measures AR practice and student motivation through dimensions like teachers’ use, readiness, benefits, challenges, perseverance, goal setting, ambition, and competence (knowledge, skills, and attitudes). Its relevance depends on addressing AR use in Islamic education and effectively capturing key motivational aspects.

5. Literature Review

The literature reviewed in this study benefited from the characteristics of a scoping review as it was selected, filtered, and employed based on its focus on using augmented reality in education or as a pedagogy to teach concepts, its impact on motivation, and its relevance to Islamic education, excluding studies that did not address these specific areas. All literature has been retrieved from these databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using keywords such as “augmented reality in education”, “student motivation”, and “Islamic education”.

Shawqi and Ameen (2022) conducted a study that developed a program based on augmented reality to develop cognitive processes, mental motivation, and perceptions of learning among primary school students with learning difficulties. The two researchers prepared a program based on augmented reality for use in the study. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to measure cognitive processes, and two pre- and post-questionnaires were conducted to measure both mental motivation and perceptions of learning. The study sample included 17 male and female students who underwent a program that lasted 36 study sessions. The results showed significant differences between the results of the test, and the pre- and post-measurements were in favor of the post-test and the two post-scales.

Sahin and Yilmaz (2020) also conducted a study entitled The Impact of Teaching Science with Augmented Reality Technology in Developing Motivation for Learning and Academic Achievement among Second-Grade Students in a Middle School in Afif Governorate, where the first semester grades of 118 students were looked at and then divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. A scale of motivation to learn was administered to the experimental group in addition to an experimental test conducted on both groups. Significant differences were found in the pre- and post-measurements of motivation on the experimental group in favor of the experimental group. Also, significant differences were found in the post-achievement test for both groups in favor of the experimental group.

In the studies by Mirza et al. (2024) and Tosti and Hwang (2014), a proposed AR-based mobile learning system was developed to conduct inquiry-based learning activities. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed approach regarding motivation and achievement. The number of samples in Tosti and Hwang (2014) study was five, including seven fourth-grade students from two classes taught by the same teacher in a primary school in northern Taiwan. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach can improve students’ educational achievement. Moreover, it was found that students who learned using an AR-based mobile learning approach showed significantly higher motivation, especially in the dimensions of interest, confidence, and relevance compared to those who learned using a traditional inquiry-based mobile learning approach.

Astuti et al.’s (2019) study aimed to apply augmented reality (AR) technology to improve students’ problem-solving skills, motivation, and learning outcomes. The sample consisted of 56 eighth-grade students who were divided into two groups: control and experimental. This quasi-experimental research used test papers and observation as tools. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results of the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test showed that there were statistically significant differences between the three indicators (problem-solving skills, motivation, and learning outcomes), in which the experimental group was higher than the control group. In conclusion, AR can impact students’ problem-solving skills, motivation, and learning outcomes.

6. Theoretical Background

6.1. Augmented Reality

6.1.1. Conceptualization of Augmented Reality

Fitria (2023) defined augmented reality as experiences that superimpose virtual content in three-dimensional space onto the real environment directly and in real time. Tekedere and Göker (2016) defined augmented reality technology as the technology that includes uploading and integrating virtual objects onto images of the real environment (video, audio, image, text, 3D models, etc.), which is an extension of virtual reality technology. Augmented reality technology is “the overlay of virtual images onto a scene of the physical world” (Li and Been-Lirn 2013, p. 109). Therefore, augmented reality allows the user to view the real world with virtual objects overlaid or superimposed on the real world. As a result, augmented reality enhances the real world rather than completely replacing it. Nawfal’s (2010) definition of augmented reality is “the system represented by merging the real environment with virtual reality in specific ways and methods”. From these previous definitions, the following becomes clear:

-

Augmented reality integrates the real environment with the virtual world.

-

Augmented reality is an environment that enhances the basic environment, which is the real environment, by adding information and digital virtual elements such as pictures, videos, and 3D objects.

-

To operate augmented reality, users use various devices, such as portable devices, and these devices serve as an interface to interact with virtual elements.

6.1.2. Historical Development of Augmented Reality

Referring to previous studies such as the study by Yuen et al. (2011), the study by Al-Husseini (2014), the study by Al-Khalifa (2010), and the study by Abu Khater (2018), we found that the historical development of augmented reality technology can be generally divided into three stages, including the emergence of the idea, the stage of limited diffusion, and the stage of absolute diffusion. These stages will be discussed in detail.

• The Emergence of the Idea

The description of the idea, without any application of it, appears in a story by Frank Baum, published in 1901.

• Limited diffusion stage

In 1968, Ivan Sutherland of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology presented an experimental model of a device called the Sword of Damocles with a group of his students. It was a helmet equipped with glasses that allowed the user to see the surroundings in addition to projecting three-dimensional objects into the general image. Part of this model was attached to the head. While the other part is attached to a holder on the wall, the image changes according to the movement and location of the user. This model was the first device to offer a wired optical display.

In 1975, Myron Krueger invented a device called Videoplace, which allowed users to interact simultaneously with virtual objects through haptic systems connected to computers. In 1992, Tom Caudell and his colleague David Mizell, two researchers at Boeing, gave the name augmented reality to the alternative they found to the large, individually designed wooden boards for wiring instructions for each plane and the devices that cost the company dearly and were used to guide electricians inside the factory. Tom suggested using a device that would be placed on the user’s head and display the electrical wiring plans for each aircraft, using high-quality glasses and displaying the plan on reusable boards through computer systems. In 1994, Milgram and Kishino (1994), along with Akira Utsumi and Fumio Kishino, designed a spectral model to illustrate the difference between augmented reality and virtual reality by establishing a scale that begins with the real environment and ends with virtual reality, known as the Milgram continuum. In the same year, Azuma (1997) created a technology that allows the user to use augmented reality abroad, where the user was previously confined to devices installed in one place. This technology aimed to give the user freedom of movement; therefore, Azuma added a hybrid tracking device that determines the user’s location. This technology has been used in the field of outdoor advertising, where these advertisements are displayed on buildings. Such technologies have been developed significantly, using AI tools to engage students in meaningful learning (Khurma et al. 2024).

• Absolute diffusion stage

Several conferences have been organized in the field of research and studies related to augmented reality, and some of these conferences were included in the “International Symposiums on Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality”, given the English abbreviation ISMAR, in 1998. In 2008, the first application that used augmented reality for smartphones was introduced and was called Wikitude Drive. This application was used to direct drivers to reach a specific location using a mobile phone. Currently, a number of applications that use augmented reality in various fields have emerged due to the spread of smartphones and tablets. There have been many fields of application in augmented reality technologies, and one of the most important of these fields is education.

6.1.3. The Difference Between Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Many people confuse the terms augmented reality and virtual reality, considering that they are the same concept; however, the truth is that augmented reality is an extension of virtual reality. Al-Sharhan et al. (2006) mentioned in his study that augmented reality is concerned with displaying information and virtual experiences to represent them in reality, and the augmented reality environment is very close to the real world, as the virtual elements are a simple part of the augmented reality experiences. As for virtual reality, Milgram and Kishino (1994) defines it as an environment in which the user or viewer is completely immersed in a completely artificial world. This world may or may not imitate the environment of the real world, and the virtual world may exceed the limits of physical reality by creating a world that is not limited by the laws of gravity, time, and properties of matter.

In the same study, Milgram and Kishino (1994) dos not consider augmented reality and virtual reality as just opposites but rather argues that they should be seen as two opposite ends of a continuum, between which forms of mixed reality fall. He called this continuum the continuum of reality and virtuality, and it can be represented through the following diagram.

Therefore, it can be said that augmented reality only adds an imaginative, virtual touch to the real world, while virtual reality adds a realistic touch to a completely imaginary world as show in Figure 1 “Mixed Reality”. In addition, places in the virtual world may be like reality or not built on a pre-existing foundation. As for synchronization, augmented reality requires certain real and unreal elements to be together to display the content, making it synchronous. This is completely different from virtual reality, which is asynchronous, where the user can enter virtual reality at any time and place (Abu Khater 2018).

6.1.4. How Augmented Reality Works

Glockner et al. (2014) divided the process of how augmented reality works into four separate steps, namely, scene capture, scene identification, scene processing, and scene rendering. These steps are detailed below:

• Scene Capture: The realistic scene is captured, which must be enhanced either through a video recording device such as a camera or through a see-through device such as glasses or a helmet.
• Scene identification: The real-world scene must be scanned to determine exactly where virtual elements should be placed and integrated. This location can be determined either using visual markers or using tracking technology such as sensors, GPS, infrared, or lasers.
• Scene processing: When the scene is clearly defined and known, digital content is requested, often from the Internet or from any type of database.
• Scene rendering: Finally, the AR system displays a mixed image of the real scene with virtual elements.

6.1.5. The Importance of Augmented Reality in Education

The educational value of augmented reality programs is closely related to how they are designed, implemented, and integrated into formal education environments. To make the most of augmented reality, it is best to think of it as a concept rather than a specific type of technology. Involving teachers in the process of developing educational applications that employ this concept will bring greater benefits to these programs (Chen 2013). This brings us to the positives of using augmented reality in education. Augmented reality provides new ways of dealing with the world that cannot be obtained in a completely realistic or virtual environment, as it can create hybrid educational environments that increase integration and bring together real and virtual objects (Akçayır and Akçayır 2017). Al-Najdi’s study (AlNajdi 2022), which studied the impact of using augmented reality that employs rapid response code technology in student books on academic achievement, found that the academic achievement of the group that used that technology was significantly higher than the control group that did not use that technology. Also, the study by Wedyan et al. (2022) emphasized the importance of using augmented reality in teaching English, as it develops skills, reduces stress, increases creativity, and enhances cooperation among students and their participation in the class.

6.1.6. Challenges Facing the Use of Augmented Reality in Education

Alalwan et al.’s (2020) study addressed the challenges and aspirations for using augmented reality and virtual reality among primary school teachers in developing countries from the teachers’ point of view. Among the most prominent of these challenges was the lack of knowledge and ability to use augmented reality, in addition to the limited design of teaching resources, the lack of attention and focus on this technique by teachers, the lack of time, and the scarcity of resources that enable teachers to employ this technique. Fitria (2023) mentioned that among the challenges of using augmented reality are technical problems related to the appearance of virtual objects or tracking content present, and other problems. Likewise, De Lima et al. (2022) stated that one of the challenges facing the application of augmented reality in general, despite the amount of research indicating its benefit, is the lack of teachers’ involvement in designing applications and educational resources that use augmented reality. Innovations that disrupt people’s established habits and require a change in those habits are more difficult to accept than innovations that involve only a quantitative change in what we know. This applies to the case of augmented reality since its use leads to a renewal of the way we think about the world, access information, interact with individuals, and as a result, learn and know. Therefore, teachers need time to adapt to this technology and to be able to determine its value and benefits by employing adaptive learning frameworks (Emara et al. 2023). Lee (2012) and Radu (2012) agreed about the scarcity of specialists in the field of augmented reality and teachers’ skepticism about its effectiveness compared to traditional methods, and Radu added that the lack of financial capabilities to start using this type of technology is an obstacle to its widespread application.

6.2. Motivation

6.2.1. The Concept of Motivation

Motivation is defined as reaching a goal by maintaining the continuity of internal and external states that move and direct behavior to achieve a specific purpose or goal (Chiu et al. 2024). Motivation combines directing behavior and provocation, which can be inferred by moving and directing behavior, and, in general, includes what goes on inside the person, and is not directly observed. This works to encourage the individual and direct his activity. Bandhu et al. (2024) view motivation as what directs, pushes, and encourages a person. Reeve et al. (2022) define motivation as achieving a goal through factors that drive and direct an individual’s behavior. Another definition of motivation: the individual’s feeling of the need to achieve a specific goal driven by an intrinsic force that drives his behavior, a need for that goal and his sense of its psychological (moral) and material importance to him, and the stimulation of his intrinsic strength through factors emanating from the person’s psyche (inclinations, characteristics, needs, and interests) are also stimulated by his surrounding environment, whether psychological or physical (tools, people, topics, and ideas).

6.2.2. Sources of Motivation

Sources of motivation vary from one person to another, and these sources are generally divided into incentives and motives. Incentives are divided according to whether they are material or moral, as well as to the direction of their impact and who receives them. Material incentives represent material benefits, such as money, food, drink, clothing, and housing. In most cases, incentives of this type are financial. As for moral incentives, they are not represented by material things. They are things such as opportunities for creativity, learning, and honor, which are important for individuals despite being non-material. Incentives can be divided according to the direction of their impact. Positive, attractive incentives motivate individuals to perform a specific behavior, and this is done by specifying the desired behavior and the material or moral incentive that rewards it. Negative, repulsive incentives try to deter the individual from performing a specific behavior, which is often harmful; therefore, the inappropriate behavior is determined and desired, and then the material or moral incentive punishes him. Likewise, incentives are divided according to who receives them, such as an individual or collective. Individual incentives are given to individuals individually, which may lead to competition to obtain them, while collective incentives are offered to the group, and they may lead to cooperation among its members (Wikipedia Contributors 2023).

As for motivations, they are defined as things from the external environment that help the individual to activate his motivation. Among these motivations are prizes and financial rewards, and success and excellence are examples related to learning motivation (Amidjaja and Vinacke 1965).

Bani Jaber (2004) defines it as a group of situations that can lead to the satisfaction of motivation. This means the goal that the individual wants to achieve and towards which he directs his responses. Motivation can remove the state of tension in the individual. Hunger is met with food, thirst is met with water, and rewards. Rewards and privileges perform this function and can be used to direct the individual to desired behavior, while the opposite is discouraged with methods such as punishments, which would keep the individual away from undesirable behavior.

6.2.3. Strategies to Stimulate Motivation

According to the point of view of Hargreaves (1998), teachers must work to induce positive feelings within students, such as confidence in their ability and being comfortable asking any questions they raise about the subject studied. Also, teachers must try not to make the students feel bad about the lessons. In addition, work should be carried out to encourage students to focus during lessons. One of the methods that helps increase and stimulate motivation is to set more educational situations for students in which they research, learn, and explore, and move them away from the role of the listener. It is also possible to use simple material and moral incentives, such as praise and compliments, or awards and grades, in order to create an atmosphere of competition, in which students compete to obtain these incentives as a result of their feelings of jealousy of their colleagues, and this all depends on the age of the learner and the extent to which technology is used in the educational process and other matters (Qatami 1998).

Taking care of students’ interests, such as exploiting new events and using them in a useful way in the lesson topic to attract interest, is one of the strategies used to stimulate learning motivation among students. Likewise, using primary activities that are attractive, and fun motivates students toward learning. Questions can also be asked continuously during the lesson to give the student an active role during the lesson, and activity is one of the most important elements of motivation. Problems that require finding appropriate solutions can also be asked, and this creates a need among students to remove ambiguity and confusion by researching the topic further (Al-Tanawi 2013).

7. Results

Results related to the first question: Are there statistically significant differences at the significance level of (0.05) in the level of practice of augmented reality technology in learning Islamic education among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, depending on the variables of gender and grade?

To answer the question, analytical statistical tests were conducted to reveal the difference in the level of practice of augmented reality technology in learning Islamic education among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, according to the variables of gender and grade, where a t-test was used. For independent samples, and a one-way analysis of variance test, after ensuring the moderateness of the data distribution and verifying the homogeneity of the data using Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances, the following is a presentation of the results:

• Differences according to the gender variable.

To detect the difference in the level of practice of augmented reality technology in learning Islamic education among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi according to the gender variable, a t-test was conducted for independent samples, and

Table 1. The results of the t-test used to test the differences between the level of practice of augmented reality technology in learning Islamic education among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi depending on gender.

Variable	Sex	Number	Average	Standard Deviation	Degrees of Freedom	t-Test Value	Scheme
The General Level of the Practice of Augmented Reality	Male	145	3.328	0.4	308	−2.32 *	0.02
	Female	165	3.615	0.4

* A statistically significant value at a significance level (0.05).

shows these results.

From the results in Table 1, there are statistically significant differences between the overall degree of practicing augmented reality technology in learning the Islamic education subject among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi according to the gender variable, where the calculated (t) value reached (−2.32), which is a statistically significant value at the level of Significance (0.05). The differences are in favor of the female students in the study sample, whose arithmetic average was (3.615) compared to (3.328) for the male students.

The researchers attribute this to the fact that schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and in the UAE, in general, are interested in raising the quality of girls’ education and the level of learning among them, as the percentage of girls in secondary schools in the UAE reached about 77% (Kirk and Napier 2009). This is what the study of Al-Aboody et al. (2021) disagreed with, which did not find any statistically significant differences attributable to the gender variable. As for some studies, such as the study of Mustafa (2023), Qeshta (2018), Abu Khater (2018), and Sahin and Yilmaz (2020), the sample was not of either gender, as they were either male or female.

2.

Differences according to the grade variable.

To detect the difference in the level of practice of augmented reality technology in learning Islamic education among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi according to the academic grade variable, a “one-way analysis of variance” (ANOVA) test was conducted, where the arithmetic means of the study sample’s answers were first calculated according to grade variable. To detect statistically significant differences between the arithmetic averages for the axes as a whole and for the sub-axes, a one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) was conducted, the results of which are shown in

Table 2. Results of one-way ANOVA to test the differences between the level of practice of augmented reality technology in learning the Islamic education subject among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi according to the grade variable.

Variables	Grade	Number	Mean	Standard Deviation	Value F	Statistical Significance
The General Level of the Practice of Augmented Reality	10	104	3.301	0.47	3.23 *	0.04
	11	106	3.466	0.42
	12	100	3.602	0.29

* Statistical significance.

.

The results were in favor of the study sample from the eleventh grade. This may be due to the fact that the tenth grade is a transitional stage in which students take their first steps in the secondary stage, and, therefore, trying these techniques on them may distract them. As for the twelfth-grade students, they are in the last years of their studies and have many tests and exams to take, so there may not be time, at least enough for them to practice that technique.

In the study of Al-Aboody et al. (2021), there was an effect of the age stage on the use of augmented reality, as younger participants were less used and able to use augmented reality.

Some studies, such as that by Sahin and Yilmaz (2020), were conducted in only one grade level.

From the results in Table 2, there are statistically significant differences between the overall score for practicing augmented reality technology in learning the Islamic education subject among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi depending on the academic grade variable, where the calculated (f) value reached (3.23). This is a statistically significant value at the significance level (0.05).

Results Related to the Second Question: Is there a statistically significant correlation at the significance level (α ≥ 0.05) between the practice of augmented reality among Islamic education teachers and the level of motivation of secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi?

To answer this question, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between the axes of the augmented reality technology practice scale and the axes of the motivation scale among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi from members of the study sample in

Table 3. The values of the correlation coefficients.

Axes	Perseverance	Goal Determination	Ambition	Perceived Competence	General Level of Motivation
	Correlation Coefficient	Correlation Coefficient	Correlation Coefficient	Correlation Coefficient	Correlation Coefficient
Islamic education teachers’ use of augmented reality technology	0.45 *	0.48 *	0.44 *	0.03	0.44 *
Readiness to use augmented reality technology in learning	0.54 *	0.51 *	0.45 *	0.02	0.51 *
Benefiting from augmented reality technology in learning	0.47 *	0.54 *	0.42 *	0.01	0.47 *
Employing augmented reality technology in learning	0.16 *	0.12 *	0.13 *	0.46 *	0.15 *
The ability to deal with the difficulties of using augmented reality technology in learning	0.22 *	0.21 *	0.28 *	0.48 *	0.14 *
The overall level of practice of augmented reality technology	0.36 *	0.41 *	0.27 *	0.36 *	0.47 *

* Statistical significance.

.

The values of the correlation coefficients between the axes of the augmented reality technology practice scale and the axes of the motivation scale among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).

The results from Table 3 indicate that:

• There is a direct relationship between the overall level of practicing augmented reality technology in learning the Islamic education subject and the overall level of motivation for achievement and the sub-axes among secondary school students in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, where the values of the correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).
• There is a direct relationship between the axis of Islamic education teachers’ use of augmented reality technology and the overall level of motivation for achievement and the sub-axis related to the axes of perseverance, goal setting, and ambition, where the values of the correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the significance level (0.05). The relationship between the Islamic education teachers’ use of the technology augmented reality and the axis of perceived competence was not statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).
• There is a direct relationship between the axis of readiness to use augmented reality technology in learning and the overall level of motivation for achievement and the sub-axes related to the axes of perseverance, goal setting, and ambition, where the values of the correlation coefficients were statistically significant at a significance level of (0.05). As for the relationship between the readiness to use augmented reality technology, the perceived competence axis was not statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).
• There is a direct relationship between the axis of benefiting from augmented reality technology in learning and the overall level of motivation for achievement and the sub-axis related to the axes of perseverance, goal setting, and ambition, where the values of the correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the significance level (0.05). As for the relationship between benefiting from augmented reality technology in learning and the axis of perceived competence, it was not statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).
• There is a direct relationship between the axis of employing the use of augmented reality technology in learning and the overall level of motivation for achievement and the sub-axis related to the axes of perseverance, goal setting, ambition, and perceived competence. The correlation coefficient values were statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).
• There is a direct relationship between the axis of the ability to deal with the difficulties of using augmented reality technology in learning and the overall level of motivation for achievement and the sub-axes related to the axes of perseverance, goal setting, ambition, and perceived competence. The correlation coefficient values were statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).

8. Discussion, Conclusion, and Recommendations

The results provide an overview of students’ academic motivation in relation to the practice of AR technologies in Islamic Education in the secondary schools of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. A positive relationship was found between each augmented reality and academic achievement with a statistical significance at (α < 0.05). These findings are similar to the findings of numerous studies which found that the use of augmented reality applications and technologies can help increase student’s motivation such as the study of Sahin and Yilmaz (2020) and others which found that there is a positive correlation between the use of augmented reality technologies and motivation.

The researcher attributes this to the fact that the use of modern technologies in education, especially augmented reality technology, helps attract the student’s attention to the lesson and provides an interactive and creative environment and experience that enables the student to control the way he learns the lesson or performs the task. It is also a method that brings excitement and keeps boredom away from the lesson.

The researcher also believes that specialists and educators in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi are now looking towards augmented reality as part of a movement among teachers directed towards e-learning and smart learning, and augmented reality is one of these promising educational technologies.

Also, this can be attributed to the ways in which augmented reality is used, especially in teaching Islamic education and the topics in which augmented reality is used. The subject of Islamic education, especially learning acts of worship such as prayer, Hajj, and others, depends on viewing and simulation, as the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said “Pray as you have seen me pray”.

The study found that AR’s effectiveness varied by age and gender, with older students engaging more in practical applications and female students showing slightly higher motivation. Teachers who have been trained in AR achieved better outcomes, as the technology was used to simulate real-life practices such as Salah (five times a day) or Hajj (one time a lifetime minimum but getting familiar with it could be on an annual basis when its season arrives), and to teach Quranic verses through interactive tools. AR was applied in targeted lessons, including worship practices, storytelling as a pedagogic approach to explaining prophets’ and their companions’ stories, and Quranic verse explorations, rather than being integrated across all Islamic education subjects. Specifically, AR was utilized in Quranic studies to understand verses, in Fiqh to simulate worship practices, and in Seerah to visualize historical Islamic events, making these subjects more interactive and engaging. Students participated in activities like role-playing historical events, exploring 3D mosque models, practicing prayer movements, and engaging with interactive storytelling and quizzes on Islamic concepts.

Therefore, the researcher recommends the following based on the results:

-

Urging researchers to conduct more studies and research on the effectiveness of augmented reality technology in teaching Islamic education.

-

Urging application designers to design applications that use augmented reality to teach Islamic education effectively in cooperation with Islamic education teachers, curriculum makers, and students.

-

Raising awareness and conducting professional development courses for teachers to introduce them to augmented reality technology and its perceived benefits.

-

Training school technical support officials on using augmented reality and solving its problems if used in education.

-

Providing responsible authorities with the necessary resources to easily implement augmented reality technology in schools.

-

Training students to use augmented reality technology as part of technology education.

9. Limitations

The results of this study are limited by the methodological shortcomings noted earlier, particularly regarding the age of the documents analyzed. This highlights the need for more studies that deal with future studies to better align the analysis with current advancements in augmented reality technologies and their applications in education. Future research should prioritize the inclusion of newer studies to enhance the relevance and applicability of the findings.