Evaluation of a PLC Learning Module with Augmented Reality Visualization to Support Computational Thinking: Expert and User Perspectives
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) instruction requires strong Computational Thinking (CT) skills, yet conventional text-based modules often lack to help students visualize how programmed logic operates on actual hardware. This study evaluated an integrated PLC learning module package embedded with Augmented Reality (AR) visualization designed to support six pillars of CT such as abstraction, decomposition, logical thinking, algorithmic thinking, evaluation, and generalization, through module with interactive 3D simulations of industrial automation systems. The module was developed using the ADDIE model and evaluated through expert validation and user trials. Two media experts and two content experts assessed the module's feasibility, while 27 undergraduate students who had completed a basic PLC course evaluated its support for CT as users. Data were analyzed using ideal mean-standard deviation and median-based categorizations. Results showed that the module was rated "Feasible" by content experts (X = 3.21) and "Highly Feasible" by media experts (X = 3.29). Students rated overall CT support as "Good" (median = 3.20), with abstraction scoring highest ("Excellent", median = 3.50). These findings indicate that the AR-integrated PLC module is feasible for classroom use and is perceived by students as effective in supporting CT, particularly in helping them identify key information within complex automation problems.
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