Making Chemistry Learning More Interactive with the Development of Augmented Reality (AR) Technology

Since online learning was introduced during the COVID-19 outbreak, education researchers have racked their brains to create online learning media that are more enjoyable for students by making use of technological advances. The impact is felt not only by students; teachers too can be supported by the development of technology-based learning media, one of which is Augmented Reality (AR). Augmented Reality (AR) technology is technology created from a combination of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional virtual objects that are then inserted into the real world. These virtual objects are projected in real time, as if we could see them at that very moment. Augmented Reality (AR) technology was created with the essence of increasing students' learning motivation and improving their understanding of the material taught by the teacher, through media that are realised directly by Augmented Reality.

Augmented Reality (AR) technology is quite good at making it easier for teachers and students to carry out teaching and learning activities, especially online and in exact-science subjects, such as high school chemistry. By combining chemistry learning with technology, the limitations of teachers, facilities and infrastructure in schools can be overcome. The use of Augmented Reality (AR) is still being developed in the world of education; at present there are several studies developing Augmented Reality (AR) applications that can be used in chemistry learning, for example an application for the facilities and infrastructure in a laboratory. Such an application is used to design a laboratory room and place laboratory equipment, and inside the application a 3-dimensional view of the room can be seen, as if we had entered it.

Every technological development certainly has advantages and disadvantages, and it cannot be denied that Augmented Reality (AR) technology also has both. The advantage of Augmented Reality (AR) is that it can make an object appear as if it were real in front of us, and the AR design itself can also be created independently by teachers. Classroom learning becomes interactive between teacher and students as well as among students. The media used can also be varied, cheap, and easy to produce as learning media, because the designs can be created independently by teachers. Besides being relatively easy to make, it is also easy to use, so students can access it easily.

In some schools, Augmented Reality (AR) technology has already been developed, for example in chemistry learning on the periodic table of elements. Teachers can create a learning application with the concept that, when an image code is scanned with a smartphone, after a few moments an image of an element will appear, complete with information such as the atomic number, the number of protons and electrons, and so on. In this case, a teacher's creativity is essential; the learning design must be able to attract students' attention so that their curiosity increases. With the application of Augmented Reality (AR), learning can also make students more active in class. Teachers can pose questions to students and ask for their conclusions about the images projected by the application. Applying Augmented Reality (AR) can help students understand the material better, because teachers are sometimes not very good at depicting a chemical object. But when using Augmented Reality (AR), teachers can make the chemical object or element more realistic.

Augmented Reality (AR) applications can also be made as a guide for carrying out practicums, so that, before students go into the actual practicum room, they can do a trial run first. This can also be a solution for schools that cannot yet meet the needs for practicum facilities and infrastructure, especially in chemistry learning. For example, in a chemistry practicum on distinguishing acidic and basic solutions, an Augmented Reality (AR) application can be designed with animations or objects such as lemon, turmeric, butterfly pea flower, litmus paper, soapy water, as well as objects such as chemical apparatus, namely beaker glasses, test tubes, pipettes, and so on. The application is designed so that students feel as if they are really doing a practicum in the laboratory, and the materials that have been designed can be operated by the students themselves. For example, students play as if in a game, but the results have been set by the teacher, such as what colour turmeric will turn when tested with blue litmus and red litmus.

Behind the many advantages of Augmented Reality (AR), there are some disadvantages. For instance, the shape of the object changes easily, following the projection or the movement of the item we use. The objects seen in the projection are also sometimes unclear, there is no explanation accompanying the image, and there are only simple images and animations. Storage also requires a lot of internal memory to hold the objects that will be put into Augmented Reality (AR). In addition, a remaining obstacle in using Augmented Reality (AR) is that many students, teachers, and schools in some regions have not yet mastered this technology.

The last point mentioned above is a problem that is currently occurring: many students still do not understand how to use Augmented Reality (AR) technology. This is especially so for remote schools categorised as 3T (Frontier, Outermost, Disadvantaged). Information in the technology field is still very scarce, especially with facilities and infrastructure that are not necessarily adequate in those schools. This leaves students in 3T schools behind students who study in big cities. Not only students, but teachers too find it difficult to get access and outreach from their superiors or the central government, which sometimes gives the difficulty of reaching those remote areas as the reason.

Therefore, it is hoped that the government will hold outreach sessions or meetings with teachers to first educate teachers or education personnel about Augmented Reality (AR) technology, which is then put into practice with students in classroom teaching and learning activities by the teachers. Educating teachers can be done through open webinars and hands-on practice using Augmented Reality (AR) media. The government and schools should also provide the facilities and infrastructure that students need, in this case for example computers or gadgets used for Augmented Reality (AR)-based learning.

In the current era, education should already be equitable for all children across the country, and if today's learning is not supported by technology, teachers or education personnel will be overwhelmed, because the number of teachers in Indonesia is very small and unevenly distributed. Even when learning is technology-based, it cannot completely remove the role of teachers; students still need to be supervised when using smartphones. Teachers now must be skilful in arranging learning designs, so that the learning does not leave students bored and fed up.

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