International Higher Education Teacher Award ^2024/25

In our classroom research the application of Augmented Reality (AR – named eduARdo) (Czékmán 2017) and the HY-DE model (Dani 2014) are used for assessing and developing the current level of Ss’ law enforcement technical language knowledge and professional (digital) communication of students in ESP classes. They are based on constructive pedagogy and digital education with the main objectives of learning and practising the terminology of the subject matter, supporting the creativity, motivation and creative activity of the participants, through the role of the instructors and improving communication. This contributes to the harmonisation of the constructivist and digital pedagogy, where the participants can create their content independently and develop their creativity, therefore a more successful teaching-learning process can be deployed. Our aim is to create a constructive learning environment where students are ‘active participants’ and not ‘sufferers’ of the lessons, they can work together and help each other, while using a variety of tools and information resources to achieve the learning objectives and problem-solving activities. Computer and mobile-assisted teaching and learning (CMAL) are implemented, where the participants perform various activities and content development, thus developing their digital competence and communication. In this application we focus on good practices maintained by the use of AR in a classroom environment. The good practices of AR focus on measuring content consumption through active and interactive visualisation. The use of AR in education provides students with an experience of flow (Csíkszentmihályi 1997) and constructivist learning environment (Nahalka 1997), where AR is an excellent tool for developing Ss’ problem-solving and spatial orientation skills and the interactivity allows students to experience exploration in the classroom. As a result, producing AR-based content in the target language (images, moving images, labelling 3D models or creating own content) develops the digital competence of the students, and helps them reorganise law enforcement terminology from short-term to long-term memory.

Methodology

The classroom research is implemented with study and control groups: (1) in the control group, the teaching material is provided by using traditional methods without technical devices; (2) in one of the study groups, AR software is used to develop vocabulary, communication skills and the digital competence of the students; (3) while in the other study group, the HY-DE model and AR software are used for learning and communicating the learning materials. The experiment is being carried out in the academic year 2021/2022, and includes the development of four law enforcement language curricula using the above mentioned methods. The law enforcement topics, by different branches of service, are as follows: 1. Public order specialisation: Policing Public Events – Football Hooliganism 2. Customs and finance guard specialisation: Drugs 3. Boarder guard specialisation: Border Control – Border checks and Border surveillance 4 Criminal investigation specialisation: Crime Scene Investigation – Investigating a burglary The research team has members inside and outside the institution: Czékmán, Balázs, doctoral candidate, ICT researcher, University of Debrecen, Doctoral School of Human Sciences, member of the ICT MasterMinds Research Group, active member of the software development company, Stiefel Interactive Ltd. His role: He is responsible for the management of the eduARdo software, which is provided free for testing the effect of the tool for good practices in the duration of the research. Uricska, Erna, PhD student, Corvinus University of Budapest, curriculum developer, researcher. Her role: She was an English teacher at the Faculty of Law Enforcement, UPS for 2021. She is involved in the development of the teaching and learning material during the testing of AR. Dr. Dominek, Dalma, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Public Governance and International Studies, Department of Social Communication, UPS, researcher, member of the Creative Learning Program - Research Group Her role: She is interested in the research of flow. At the end of every pilot research students’ flow-state is measured by a 20-item questionnaire (Magyaródi et al 2013). The head of the research: Barnucz, Nóra, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Foreign Languages for Specific Purposes, Faculty of Law Enforcement, UPS, member of the Creative Learning Program - Research Group, member of the ICT MasterMinds Research Group My role: I teach in every group involved in the pilot research.

Tools, equipment, technology used

The AR software that works with mobile devices interactively combines the real and virtual worlds in real time, captured in 3D. The resulting system is situated between the real and virtual worlds (Azuma 1997). The AR is created by layering elements of virtual reality onto the material world through the mediation of digital tools (Szűts-Yoo 2013: 59; Azuma 1997). There are several types: markerless, marker-based and projection-based. In practice, the user can communicate in both the physical and the virtual world. As for the research and the good practices the marker-based software is used. The innovative use of the tool for good practices: Practice I. In the second part of the lesson, the practice of vocabulary – acquired in the first 45 minutes – comes, in which the use of the AR software – named eduARdo – has the main role. The application works on Android types of smartphones. In the first task, students are given a marker picture, which is read-in by the camera of the eduARdo application and a 3D model of a police officer appears on the screen. In the exercise, students label the equipment of the riot police officer using the software on their phones, then the checking of the solutions are carried out together. a) Purpose: applying the terms acquired in the first part of the lesson and the development of digital competence through content creation and -consumption. b) Checking: The equipment of the 3D model is discussed with the instructor. c) The advantage of the practice: The advantage of the exercise is that the expressions highlighted in the first part of the lesson can be visualized by 3D modelling. So, on the one hand, visual content is contributed to the acquisition and the storage of the expressions in the long-term memory and on the other hand, keeping students’ motivation on high level is also guaranteed. d) The disadvantage of the practice: The disadvantage of the practice can be the unstable internet connection. e) Developed language skills: speaking, vocabulary f) Developed general competences: digital competence, compliance with rules, discipline, steadiness, ability to work efficiently, communication skill, cooperation g) The assessment of the learning outcomes: The exercise can be used to check the acquisition of vocabulary, the development of digital competence and consequently the communication skill. h) Tools for the exercise: mobile devices (smartphone, tablet), marker picture (printed) Practice II: In the next task, students work in groups and are again given a marker picture, which is read-in by the camera of eduRAdo, and three different videos start (the video - played in the first part of the lesson - is cut into three different parts). The video is watched twice by the students using their headphones, and then each student is given a text to fill in while watching the video again. a) Purpose: applying the terms acquired in the first part of the lesson and the development of digital competence through content creation and -consumption. b) Checking: After watching the videos and completing the fill-in-blank-tests, the solutions are checked face-to-face. c) The advantage of the practice: The advantage of the exercise is the use of the terms highlighted in the first part of the lesson and the positive impact of technology on students’ motivation and workload. d) The disadvantage of the practice: The disadvantage of the practice can be the unstable internet connection. e) Developed language skills: reading, listening, vocabulary, speaking. f) Developed general competences: digital competence, compliance with rules, discipline, steadiness, ability to work efficiently, communication skill, cooperation g) The assessment of the learning outcomes: The exercise can be used to check the acquisition of vocabulary, the development of digital competence and consequently the communication skill. h) Tools for the exercise: mobile devices (smartphone, tablet), marker picture (printed), task paper Practice III. In the third exercise, students work in groups again and write a short summary on the topic covered during the lesson. A group leader is appointed to record the summary in video format on his/her phone (read out) and save it to the gallery of the phone. Then the group leader takes a group-selfie, which is also saved in the gallery. The students are given a marker picture / group, which is taken a photo and saved to the gallery by the group leaders. Then they create their own content by logging into the application of eduARdo (created by the group leader). First, they give a name to the content, which - in this case - is Policing Public Events, and then upload the items saved in the gallery: a marker photo taken; the group selfie as a cover photo; a short video (max. 1. minute) as their own content. When the content is uploaded, the marker picture is positioned by using the camera of eduARdo and finally the content is created by tapping on the button of the content creation. a) Purpose: applying the terms acquired in the first part of the lesson and the development of digital competence through content creation and -consumption. b) Checking: The content creation is followed by watching and checking the videos of each group. c) The advantage of the practice: The advantage of the exercise, on the one hand, is the use of the terms highlighted in the first part of the lesson. On the other hand, the steps of content creation (the development of digital competence) have positive impact on students’ motivation. d) The disadvantage of the practice: The disadvantage of the practice can be the unstable internet connection and the low battery power of phones. e) Developed language skills: speaking, vocabulary, listening f) Developed general competences: digital competence, compliance with rules, discipline, steadiness, ability to work efficiently, communication skill, cooperation g) The assessment of the learning outcomes: The exercise can be used to check the acquisition of vocabulary, the development of digital competence and consequently the communication skill. h) Tools for the exercise: mobile devices (smartphone, tablet), marker picture (printed), task paper

Outcomes and outputs, main results

The experimental tools of the research (HY-DE model & AR) can be used in the classroom to provide experience to students and due to this they have flow-experience (Csíkszentmihályi 1997; Dominek 2020), hereby constructivist learning environment can be created where students are not passive but active participants of the lessons. The experimental tools are applied well for students so that they can monitor their completed tasks and try to identify their difficulties – as this allows the instructor to develop their problem-solving strategies and critical thinking (Barnucz-Uricska 2020). The effectiveness of the good practice lies in stimulating language learning and increasing motivation, the extent of which can be measured by the flow-state questionnaire (as concentration and focus increase, so does motivation). The 20-item flow-state questionnaire (Magyaródi et al. 2013) can be divided into two factors. The first factor measures the characteristics related to the topic of ‘challenge-skill balance’, whilst the second one is called the ‘coincidence with experience’. In the first test lesson held in the fall term of this academic year, the flow experience of the two test groups was above 80% based on these two factors. It means that the students perceived the process of the learning material with AR as a challenge and learning was stored as an experience by themselves. The concrete results of the pre- & post-tests for measuring students’ vocabulary knowledge have not been analysed yet, but it can be stated that the acquisition of new vocabulary was succeeded with the help of the good practices of AR (comparison of the tests), so the positive effect of AR as a tool/method for creating good practices in ESP classes is confirmed.

Lessons learnt

More precise organisation of the measurement tools for added value of AR is needed in the future: pre- & post-tests for Ss’ vocabulary knowledge will have to be placed directly before & after the use of AR (short-term memory); 2-3 days later after the pilot lesson (long-term memory). And it is important to give more time to practise with AR.

Adaptability and sustainability of the best practice (for other institutions)

According to our plan, the AR and its methodology can be adapted in other departments of languages for specific purposes at UPS and in other language departments of higher education in general. Consequently, we plan to extend the method by disciplines/specializations within and outside the faculty. According to our further plans, the testing of the tool/method can also be carried out at national and/or international level with the involvement of the partner institutions (public and higher education). In order to cooperate with other teachers and students in this project (online or offline), teachers - involved in the project - are needed to improve their digital competence and acknowledge the function of the application. As for the students, at first, they are necessary to take part in a short course to acknowledge the function of the software. After they received enough information about the software itself and its function, we can share the link for downloading the software on the students’ smartphones (android).

Promotion of best practice

The opportunities for publishing the results of the classroom research: in line with our short-term plans, on the one hand, our goal is to publish the results of the pilot research carried out in the form of an experiment in national journals categorized with A and to prepare 1-2 articles ranked by Quartiles. On the other hand, after introducing the results of the research we plan to have the good practices and methodology of AR accepted as an effective language learning method at UPS. According to our plan, the AR and its methodology can be adapted regardless of the subject. Consequently, we plan to extend the method by disciplines/specializations within and outside the faculty (e.g., other faculties of the University, etc.). According to further plans, the testing of the method can also be carried out at national and/or international level with the involvement of the partner institutions (public and higher education). The research may provide a number of publications, and thus our goal is to create a book of „Theory and practice of teaching professional language for law enforcement”.

Scope and impact

• Course/department level
• Faculty level
• Institutional level

The completion of the research of the good practices with AR mean challenges for the researchers, the material developers and the instructor as well at once. The goal is the same: to measure the effect or added value of AR on Ss’ vocabulary knowledge, motivation, (digital) communication competence. On the one hand, the organization of the classroom research itself (control & study groups) in ESP classes for law enforcement means also a challenge for the members they are involved in the research. On the other hand the organization of the vertical and horizontal institutional adaptation of the method can also mean a big challenge for the researchers. In both cases the 1st step is the organization of a workshop where the actual results are introduced and the content consumption of AR is available for the participants of the event. As for the 2nd step, trainings for teachers are announced where they can acknowledge the function of the tool, the methodology of the good practices of AR and finally they have a possibility to create their own content.

6.1 Digitalization

• Innovative, novel methodology in using digital tools/devices in teaching
• Digital skills development and assessment both general and profession-related, embedded in course design, in teaching and assessment
• Artificial intelligence and learning analytics in education and training

Reasoning: Digitalization and innovation are involved in our project at once. First, digitalization is present because the AR software works with mobile devices interactively combining the real and virtual worlds in real time. Second, the tool is considered innovative in higher education, hereby it is also strengthened by the fact that just very little classroom research has been carried out related to its impact on students’ vocabulary knowledge, communication skill and digital competence as well.

---

6.2 Internationalization

• Students engagement in international projects
• Courses offered to international multicultural students both online and offline
• International projects/research results embedded into course development and T&L

Reasoning: In addition to the fact that eduARdo software was introduced by Balázs Czékmán and Péter Fehér ICT researchers at the BETT show in London in 2020, which has become the biggest and the most exciting show of educational technologies, we plan to extend the good practices maintained by AR and test its added value with the involvement of international partner institutions. The cooperation with teachers and students can be organized (online or offline) with a precise methodology and management.

---

6.3 Inclusion and diversity, universal design

• Inclusive course design, universally designed divers activities to meet special students' needs
• Innovative teaching methodology for inclusion and meet diverse student needs
• (Innovative) use of devices and tools for inclusion

Reasoning: The diversity of the students comes from the diversity of the courses, the students’ different language levels despite all they have min. B2 language exams, their personalities, and even the presence of Erasmus students. Inclusion is therefore inevitable, thus, we are trying to make it validate by using ICT platforms (i.e. Quzilet, LearningApps, Quizizz, etc.), mobile applications and AR software in order to meet their needs and make teaching and learning more attractive to all students.

---

6.4 Sustainability

• Extra-curricular student activities for sustainability
• Environmental attitude, skill development and assessment either general or profession-related
• Sustainability aspects are considered in all phases of the learning practice - "hidden curriculum"

Reasoning: AR is also used for content consumption and -creation among students developing their digital literacy by creating images, labelling 3D models or creating their own content in the target language (skills development, assessment). AR for content consumption and -creation can be used in classroom environments in all work forms (i.e. group or project work) (environmental attitudes). AR for content creation can be acquired in the framework of an optional course for Ss (extra-curricular activity).

3.3 Public contact datas

Name	Email address	Website
Nóra Barnucz	barnucz.nora@uni-nke.hu