Evaluating Barriers to the Adoption of Augmented Reality-based Applications in Education System: DEMATEL Approach

Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging technology that enhances user perception by overlaying virtual information onto the physical world. In educational contexts, AR integration has demonstrated potential to improve learning engagement, motivation, and conceptual understanding among students. However, teachers face numerous challenges when incorporating AR technologies into classroom instruction, including technical difficulties stemming from inadequate training, resistance to technology adoption, and curriculum misalignment with available AR tools. This study systematically identifies and analyzes barriers impeding the successful implementation of AR applications in K-12 education. Following a comprehensive literature review, an expert committee validated and refined the identified barriers through pilot testing. We employ the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method (a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach) to quantify the relative importance of each barrier and establish cause-and-effect relationships among them. Results reveal that teacher adaptability toward technology constitutes the most critical barrier to AR implementation, followed by the need for effective pedagogical strategies. DEMATEL analysis further demonstrates that two causal factors, allocating sufficient funding and developing effective pedagogy, significantly influence four effect factors: content quality, teacher adaptability, interface design, and technical infrastructure. Specifically, the findings indicate that investing in teacher professional development, ensuring adequate financial resources, and integrating pedagogically sound AR applications can substantially reduce implementation barriers and maximize educational benefits. Based on these results, we recommend that educational institutions prioritize teacher training programs, allocate dedicated budgets for AR infrastructure, and develop curriculum-aligned AR content to facilitate successful technology integration. This study contributes to the understanding of AR adoption barriers in education and provides actionable insights for policymakers, administrators, and educators seeking to enhance teaching quality and better prepare students for technologically advanced futures.