Are augmented reality picture books magic or real for preschool children aged five to six?

The aim of this study is to determine preschool children’s attitudes towards augmented reality picture books (ARPB), their story comprehension performance (SCP) and the relationships between these variables. The sample consisted of 92 fiveand six-year-olds (49 boys, 43 girls). An attitude form, story comprehension test and interview form were used as data collection tools. Most of the children reported feeling “very happy” with the activity and enjoyed using the ARPB, which they found interesting and fun. The children also delivered strong story SCP. Their happiness was found to affect their SCP, while their enjoyment did not. ARPB are attractive and evocative for children, who perceive them as magic and more enjoyable than conventional books. This study demonstrates how they can be used as effective educational tools to improve preschool children’s cognition and listening skills. Introduction Technology is developing at a rapid pace that has dramatically affected education. With one new technology used in education, augmented reality (AR), students interact with virtual and real worlds in real time (Azuma, 1997, 2004). As the educational potential of AR technology is beginning to be researched, numerous applications are being designed. One of the most wellknown AR educational applications is the MagicBook (Billinghurst, Kato, & Poupyrev, 2001). The MagicBook looks like a normal book, but AR markers are included in the interface. Users look at pictures, turn pages and read text without any external technology. With AR displays, however, users can view multimedia materials such as three-dimensional (3D) virtual models or videos and manipulate virtual objects using real physical markers and natural motions (Billinghurst et al., 2001). This interaction is an interesting way to bridge real and virtual worlds. Physical objects provide natural interactions compared with traditional computer input devices (Bujak et al., 2013). Further, the appearance of 3D objects on the pages creates a magical feeling that captures and keeps the attention of students during learning. The creation of these books is cost-effective and simple, requiring only proper AR software and a webcam-enabled PC VC 2016 British Educational Research Association British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 48 No 3 2017 824–841 doi:10.1111/bjet.12452