THE AUGMENTED REALITY FUNCTIONS TO SUPPORT THE STEAM EDUCATION AT GENERAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Authors: Soroko Natalia 
Published: June 2021

The paper considers immersive technologies in education. Augmented reality classifications are provided depending on the data presentation methods, the type of AR devices, according to the type of information provided by the augmented reality, and the areas of use. The importance of augmented reality in education, in particular for the support and development of STEAM education in school, is determined. An example of a STEAM project for a secondary school using augmented reality is given.
Formulation of the problem. The need for research due to various factors impact on education, namely increased requirements for competitive youth, pandemic caused COVID-19, increasing the role of distance and online learning, digitalization of various human activities, giving special importance to digital literacy, inquiry-based science education, project-based learning, challenge-based learning, etc. A significant problem arises in the process of organizing practical and laboratory classes in non-humanities, where the formation of competencies takes place in the process of using laboratory equipment and inter-action with technical facilities. Therefore, the main task of our study is to replace real laboratory equipment with virtual, which is implemented by virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and is one of the possible approaches in terms of distance learning, STEAM education approach and quarantine.
Materials and methods. To achieve the purpose of our study we used the following methods: a systematic and comparative analysis of pedagogical, psychological, philosophical, sociological findings, methodological and specialized literature; analysis of the pedagogical experience of using the AR for STEAM approach in school; synthesis and generalization to formulate the main points of the study; interviews and questionnaires of teachers about their understanding and attitude to augmented reality as a means of supporting STEAM education in school; interpretation of the research results.
Results. Teachers were interviewed about their attitudes and understanding of AR to support STEAM education and to identify the main augmented reality functions in conducting STEAM projects in schools. Conclusions are made on the attitude of teachers to the use of augmented reality to support and develop STEAM education and the main augmented reality functions, which teachers consider the most important for students to implement STEAM projects.
Conclusions. AR applications can enhance the learning process, learning motivation and effectiveness; help teachers to overlay information, visuals, and different forms of content on an ordinary chalkboard, providing contextual and relevant results, to enhance learning; improve student performance, help focus the user's attention on specific tasks.
AR bring significant specifics to the teachers' professional activities and student learning, to the transformation of the content of education. AR provide the formation and development of a new information method of presentation and assimilation of material, are high-tech didactic tools.
Our further research is the creation of algorithms for the use of AR for lessons and projects using the STEAM approach, which will improve the quality of education at general education institutions.