IMMERSIVE LEARNING THROUGH AUGMENTED REALITY: REDEFINING SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN TVET

Abstract

The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) offers significant potential to transform conventional teaching into immersive, skill-focused learning experiences. Yet, the absence of structured pedagogical models constrains its effective implementation in skills-based contexts. Guided by the Design and Development Research (DDR) methodology, this study was conducted in three phases: needs analysis, model construction, and usability evaluation. A total of 120 TVET instructors and nine expert panels from accredited Malaysian training institutions participated. Data collection employed surveys, focus group discussions, and validation workshops, while data analysis applied Thematic Analysis, Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM), and the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM). Results revealed six critical pedagogical elements: interactivity, simulation, performance feedback, remote expert guidance, annotation, and practice-based assessment, achieving expert consensus levels above 80%, with overall agreement reaching 92.3%. The validated AR-T Model encompasses 24 instructional activities categorised under three domains: Content, Instructional Activities, and Assessment. Usability testing confirmed the model’s practicality and contextual relevance in enhancing engagement, instructional clarity, and hands-on competency development. The findings not only contribute a novel structured framework for AR integration in TVET pedagogy but also underscore the urgency of policy support, infrastructural readiness, and continuous professional development for instructors. This research provides critical implications for curriculum developers and policymakers in embedding immersive technologies into skills training, thereby aligning with Industry 4.0 workforce demands.