Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology 39, Issue 2 (2024) 231-241 231 Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology Journal homepage: https://semarakilmu.com.my/journals/index.php/applied_sciences_eng_tech/index ISSN: 2462-1943 Exploring the Impact of Mobile Augmented Reality on COVID-19 Prevention Education in Primary Schools Farah Afiqah Affendi 1 , Syahrul Nizam Junaini 1,* 1 Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Received 12 September 2023 Received in revised form 7 December 2023 Accepted 4 January 2024 Available online 12 February 2024 This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive mobile Augmented Reality (AR) game to increase the knowledge about COVID-19 prevention primary school students. We tested the application for usability and effectiveness through pre- and post-tests, questionnaires, and interviews. 12 participants from four states in Malaysia took part in the study. Their average age is 9.5 years old. Results indicated a significant improvement in student performance from the pre-test to the post-test, with a mean score has increased from 3.67 to 8.25. The average System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 75%. These findings show the effectiveness of our mobile AR application as a tool to increase the knowledge about COVID-19 prevention among primary school. The findings of this study contribute to the body of research on the use of AR in COVID-19 prevention education among primary school students. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications for educators, researcher and policymakers seeking to use mobile AR to support the prevention education of any future pandemic or infectious disease. Keywords: AR; Pandemic; E-learning; Coronavirus; Pandemics; Medical education 1. Introduction COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus disease, is a viral illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that emerged in late 2019 and spread rapidly throughout the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on all aspects of society [1], including education [2]. Meanwhile, mobile Augmented Reality (AR) is a type of mobile technology that allows users to view and interact with digital content in the real world. AR can create immersive and interactive learning experiences that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Despite the increasing use of mobile AR, there is a lack of research on their effectiveness, particularly in COVID-19 prevention education [3]. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the use of mobile AR technology for COVID-19 prevention education in primary schools in Malaysia. The findings of this study contribute to the limited body of research on the use of AR in primary school disease prevention education. The research question for this study is twofold: * Corresponding author. E-mail address: syahruln@unimas.my https://doi.org/10.37934/araset.39.2.231241