Exploring Augmented Reality (AR) Literacy among Iranian EFL Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study

Augmented reality (AR) has emerged as an important pedagogical tool, attracting the attention of educators and researchers over the past decade. Despite this growing interest, its application within technology-enhanced language teaching and learning remains underexplored. The present study investigated the AR literacy of Iranian EFL teachers using a mixed-methods approach. A sample of ۳۰۰ EFL teachers, randomly selected from Iranian public high schools (n=۱۰۰), private (non-profit) schools (n=۱۰۰), and private language institutes (n=۱۰۰), completed an augmented reality literacy questionnaire. Additionally, a portion of participants from each group (n=۳۰) participated in semi-structured interviews developed by the researchers. A two-way MANOVA analysis indicated that teachers from private language institutes exhibited the highest mean scores across all four AR literacy domains (Computer skills, AR practice, experience, and perception), followed by those from public and private high schools. No significant gender-based differences were observed in teachers’ awareness of AR components. The interview results revealed that Iranian EFL teachers rarely integrate AR into their classroom practices, often equating it narrowly with basic computer skills such as internet use, video playback, and online search. Based on the findings, utilization of AR into EFL context is suggested, as this integration holds potential for language educators and material developers to create more engaging and dynamic learning tasks.

کلیدواژه ها:

Augmented Reality ، Iranian EFL Teachers ، Mixed Methods Study ، Technology-Enhanced Language Teaching