‘HydroAR’: AN INNOVATIVE AUGMENTED REALITY LEARNING MEDIA FOR WATER CYCLE MATERIAL IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This study aims to develop and evaluate HydroAR, an Augmented Reality-based learning media for teaching the water cycle to elementary students. Using the 4D R&D model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate), the study involved 22 student respondents and 1 teacher in a limited-scale pilot test, and 30 student respondents in a wide-scale dissemination test in Cirebon Regency. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. Results show that HydroAR is highly feasible and effective. Media and material experts rated it “very feasible,” and student responses yielded SUS scores of 83.18% (limited-scale) and 85.58% (wide-scale), both categorized as “acceptable.” The media increased students' interest and improved learning outcomes on water cycle material. AR integration helped present abstract content more clearly and engagingly. This media proves valuable for science education, especially in teaching abstract concepts. HydroAR demonstrates the potential of AR-based tools in enhancing understanding, making learning more interactive, and supporting teachers in delivering complex material visually.