Despite rising interest in immersive technologies, research on Augmented Reality’s (AR) pedagogical impact in philological learning and creative writing remains limited. Traditional digital storytelling platforms often fall short in engaging students or supporting complex narrative development. This study examines how AR-enhanced storytelling compares with conventional methods in fostering philology students’ creative writing skills, including narrative complexity, character development, scene vividness, language use, and structural coherence, while also assessing cognitive load and situational anxiety. A quasi-experimental design was employed with sixty undergraduate students (n = 60, Mage = 21.5, SD = 1.04) who were non-randomly and equally assigned to either the AR-supported group (experimental) or the StoryJumper-supported group (control). Over seven weeks, both groups completed storytelling tasks, with assessments conducted pre- and post-intervention. Mixed ANOVA and t-tests revealed significantly stronger outcomes in the AR group across all measured dimensions. Participants using AR demonstrated greater gains in philological knowledge, richer narrative construction, reduced cognitive load, and lower anxiety levels. These findings suggest AR storytelling promotes deeper engagement and creativity, while also easing mental strain and emotional discomfort. The large effect sizes underscore AR’s transformative potential in philology education, offering a powerful tool to enhance content mastery, writing proficiency, and learner confidence in creative and analytical domains.
Belda-MedinaJ.Marrahi-GomezV. (2023). The impact of augmented reality (AR) on vocabulary acquisition and student motivation. Electronics, 12(3), 749. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12030749
ChangS.SuhJ. (2025). The impact of digital storytelling on presence, immersion, enjoyment, and continued usage intention in VR-Based museum exhibitions. Sensors, 25(9), 2914. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25092914
7.
ChenJ.DaiJ.ZhuK.XuL. (2022). Effects of extended reality on language learning: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1016519. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1016519
8.
ChengK.TsaiC. (2013). Children and parents’ reading of an augmented reality picture book: Analyses of behavioral patterns and cognitive attainment. Computers & Education, 72, 302–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.12.003
9.
ChengK.-H. (2017). Reading an augmented reality book: An exploration of learners’ cognitive load, motivation, and attitudes. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 33(4). https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.2820
10.
ChristopoulosA.PellasN.KurczabaJ.MecredieR. (2022). The effects of augmented reality-supported instruction in medical tertiary-level education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 53(2), 307–325. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13167
11.
ChuH.HwangG.TsaiC.TsengJ. C. (2010). A two-tier test approach to developing location-aware mobile learning systems for natural science courses. Computers & Education, 55(4), 1618–1627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.07.004
12.
CookR. J.DickensB. M.FathallaM. F. (2003). World medical association declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects (pp. 428–432). Oxford University Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199241323.003.0025
13.
CortinaJ. M. (1993). What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(1), 98–104. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.78.1.98
14.
DemirÖ.TuncelZ. A. (2024). Turkish adaptation study of the cognitive load scale: Reliability and validity of the cognitive load scale in Turkish culture. International Journal of Progressive Education, 20(6), 33–50. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2024.1078.3
15.
Di FuccioR.Kic-DrgasJ.WoźniakJ. (2024). Co-created augmented reality app and its impact on the effectiveness of learning a foreign language and on cultural knowledge. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00304-x
16.
EttaR. A.KirkorianH. L. (2019). Children’s learning from interactive eBooks: Simple irrelevant features are not necessarily worse than relevant ones. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2733. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02733
17.
FaulF.ErdfelderE.BuchnerA.LangA. (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/brm.41.4.1149
18.
FieldA. (2024). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. 6th edition. Sage publications limited.
19.
GudinavičiusA.MarkelevičiūtėG. (2020). Using augmented reality in book publishing from a small language market perspective. Publishing Research Quarterly, 36(1), 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-019-09704-1
20.
HarryJ. (2024). Philology unveiled: Delving into linguistic mysteries. The Journal of International Social Research, 17(109). https://doi.org/10.17719/jisr.2024.131421
21.
IbrahimA.HuynhB.DowneyJ.HollererT.ChunD.O’donovanJ. (2018). ARbis pictus: A study of vocabulary learning with augmented reality. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 24(11), 2867–2874. https://doi.org/10.1109/tvcg.2018.2868568
22.
KhamitovaM.TymbolovaA.OmarbayevaG.ZholshayevaM. (2023). Augmented reality games in linguistic education: Model of cultural concepts in the linguistic worldview of philology students. Education and Information Technologies, 28(10), 13647–13663. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11765-x
23.
KhattibH.AltD. (2024). A quasi-experimental study on the advantages of digital gamification using CoSpaces edu application in science education. Education and Information Technologies, 29(15), 19963–19986. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12635-w
24.
KhodabandehF.BagheriA.MobarakehM. I. (2025). Augmented reality’s role in EFL learning: Enhancing language skills in clothing and style through flipped and blended methods. Virtual Reality, 29(2), 90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-025-01151-y
25.
KimH. Y. (2013). Statistical notes for clinical researchers: Assessing normal distribution (2) using skewness and kurtosis. Restorative Dentistry & Endodontics, 38(1), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.5395/rde.2013.38.1.52
26.
LeD. (2024). Investigating how cultural differences influence the translation process and the strategies used by translators to bridge cultural gaps. Journal of Translation and Language Studies, 5(3), 26–36. https://doi.org/10.48185/jtls.v5i3.1268
27.
LeeJ. H.YangE.SunZ. Y. (2021). Using an immersive virtual reality design tool to support cognitive action and creativity: Educational insights from fashion designers. The Design Journal, 24(4), 503–524. https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2021.1912902
28.
LimJ.WhiteheadG. E.ChoiY. (2020). Interactive e-book reading vs. paper-based reading: Comparing the effects of different mediums on middle school students’ reading comprehension. System, 97, Article 102434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102434
29.
LiuS.SuiY.YouZ.ShiJ.WangZ.ZhongC. (2023). Reading better with AR or print picture books? A quasi-experiment on primary school students’ reading comprehension, story retelling and reading motivation. Education and Information Technologies, 29(9), 11625–11644. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12231-4
MystakidisS.ChristopoulosA.PellasN. (2022). A systematic mapping review of augmented reality applications to support STEM learning in higher education. Education and Information Technologies, 27(2), 1883–1927. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10682-1
NavasC. (2024). User-friendly digital tools: Boosting student engagement and creativity in higher education. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 10, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-963
34.
OttoM. (2018). Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (general data protection regulation – GDPR). In Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & co. KG eBooks (pp. 958–981). European Union. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783845266190-974
35.
PaananenV.KiarostamiM. S.Lik-HangL.BraudT.HosioS. (2024). From digital media to empathic spaces: A systematic review of empathy research in extended reality environments. ACM Computing Surveys, 56(5), 1–40. https://doi.org/10.1145/3626518
36.
PektasS. T. (2008). Effects of cognitive styles on 2D drafting and design performance in digital media. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 20(1), 63–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-008-9060-x
37.
PellasN. (2026). Effects of generative AI feedback and interactive video assessment on student learning achievement in philological content creation courses. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 64(1), 16–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331251372800
38.
PetrovychO.ZavalniukI.BohatkoV.PoliarushN.PetrovychS. (2023). Motivational readiness of future teachers-philologists to use gamification with elements of augmented reality in education. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 18(03), 4–21. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v18i03.36017
39.
SalehiN. (2025). Teaching vocabulary with augmented reality: Voices from junior high school English teachers. Discover Education, 4(1), 230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00673-6
40.
SalehiF.PariafsaiF.DixitM. K. (2023). The impact of misaligned idiotropic and visual axes on spatial ability under altered visuospatial conditions. Virtual Reality, 1–15.
41.
SchorrI.PlecherD. A.EichhornC.KlinkerG. (2024). Foreign language learning using augmented reality environments: A systematic review. Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 5, Article 1288824. https://doi.org/10.3389/frvir.2024.1288824
42.
SchroederN. L.CenkciA. T. (2018). Spatial contiguity and spatial split-attention effects in multimedia learning environments: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30(3), 679–701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-018-9435-9
43.
ShadishW. R.CookT. D.CampbellD. T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Houghton Mifflin.
44.
SibierskaM. (2017). Storytelling without telling: The non-linguistic nature of narratives from evolutionary and narratological perspectives. Language & Communication, 54, 47–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2016.10.005
SwellerJ. (2023). The development of cognitive load theory: Replication crises and incorporation of other theories can lead to theory expansion. Educational Psychology Review, 35(4), 95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09817-2
47.
SwellerJ.Van MerriënboerJ. J. G.PaasF. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. Educational Psychology Review, 31(2), 261–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5
48.
TufailM.ParkH.WangH.KimK. (2026). An empirical study of cognitive load and constraint-driven innovation in the early phase of product design within a digitally mediated medium. International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/21650349.2026.2617533
49.
WangD.HuangX. (2025). Transforming education through artificial intelligence and immersive technologies: Enhancing learning experiences. Interactive Learning Environments, 33(7), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2025.2465451
50.
YangG.YanY.GuoS.WeiX. (2025). The impact of embedding interactive tasks in augmented reality storybooks on children’s reading engagement and reading comprehension. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 18, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1109/tlt.2025.3532464
51.
YilmazR. M.GoktasY. (2017). Using augmented reality technology in storytelling activities: Examining elementary students’ narrative skills and creativity. Virtual Reality, 21(2), 75–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-016-0300-1
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
