ANALYSIS OF AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING CHEMISTRY BASED ON THE COGNITIVE THEORY OF MULTIMEDIA LEARNING

In an increasingly digital world, education has also seen a transition to the use of innovative technologies that promise to revolutionize the teaching and learning process. Augmented reality (AR), for example, has the potential to improve the educational environment by making abstract concepts more accessible to students. In the chemistry field, a subject often considered complex, the ability to visualize and interact with phenomena can be particularly valuable. However, few research involving the use of AR applications (apps) in chemistry teaching have approached their design and application based on cognitive theories. This research addressed this gap in the literature by analyzing seven AR applications for teaching chemistry available on Google Play in 2025. The results show how cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) principles are implemented in AR applications while also offering relevant considerations for developers and educators. Data points to the need to produce educational applications that include pedagogical aspects, which will allow the use of AR to be effective and inclusive. Finally, CTML has proven to be a relevant approach for developing and applying AR apps, providing important theoretical guidelines for developers and instructional designers to create applications based on learning theories.