The Effectiveness of Immersive AR/VR in Enhancing Mathematical Understanding: A Systematic Review through Bruner’s Lens
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in strengthening understanding of mathematical concepts through the lens of Bruner’s enactive, iconic, and symbolic representational stages. Method: A systematic search of Scopus (2021–2026) was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 statement and JBI (2024) evidence synthesis protocol. From an initial pool of 3,641 records, 76 peer-reviewed empirical studies met the eligibility criteria and were retained for synthesis. Methodological quality was appraised using. JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist, and findings were synthesized through a narrative-thematic approach. After JBI appraisal, 63% of the included studies were rated as high quality and the remainder as moderate quality (interrater reliability ICC = 0.87). The synthesis showed that AR primarily supported the transition from enactive to iconic representation through collaborative, multimodal interaction. Quasi-experimental findings consistently indicated that immersive technologies outperformed conventional instruction, with effect sizes of d = 0.44 to 0.51 and partial η² = 0.280 to 0.378. Bodily movement and gesture emerged as central mechanisms that supported transitions between representational stages, extending embodied cognition theory to digital learning contexts. The effectiveness of these technologies was further shaped by teacher readiness, instructional design, and cultural integration, particularly the incorporation of local ethnomathematical practices. Taken together, the findings offer an integrative framework for mathematics instruction that connects embodied cognition, AR/VR affordances, and Bruner’s developmental sequence, with implications for teacher professional development and culturally responsive instructional design.
Keywords: augmented reality, virtual reality, bruner’s representational theory, mathematical concept understanding, immersive learning.
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