2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The MARVLS of Flight: An Augmented Reality Intervention for Engineering Education

Presented at Aerospace Division (AERO) Poster Session

Students struggle with visualizing three-dimensional concepts in physics and engineering and with translating to and from two-dimensional representations. To address this challenge, Augmented Reality (AR) can serve as a pedagogical tool to enhance conceptual and mathematical understanding, particularly with abstract concepts such as those found within engineering education. AR bridges theoretical concepts and mental models by providing realistic, immersive, and manipulable 3D visualizations.
This study leverages MARVLS AR apps, which use a phone or tablet to digitally overlay AR representations onto physical objects. This enables users to manipulate the orientation of the AR model by rotating or translating the physical object. In this research, we developed and implemented an AR module for Bernoulli's principle to help students visualize airflow over an airfoil. Bernoulli’s principle states that an increase in fluid velocity corresponds to a decrease in pressure, a concept fundamental to understanding lift generation. Since this concept is generally difficult for students to grasp, we developed an AR model to represent velocity, pressure, and forces (lift and drag), allowing these conditions to dynamically evolve with the flow of air.

Authors

Fasiha Khaliq Siena College [biography]

Fasiha Khaliq is a senior undergraduate student in Applied Physics (Mechanical Track) at Siena University. Her work involves developing augmented reality (AR) applications to enhance students’ understanding of abstract and three-dimensional concepts. She also works on designing and 3D printing physical targets for integration into AR-based educational projects.
Michele W. McColgan Siena University [biography]

Dr. Michele McColgan is a Professor of the Physics & Astronomy Department at Siena University, a small liberal arts university in upstate New York. She spearheaded developments in the realm of augmented reality (AR) smartphone applications to enhance the learning experience for physics and engineering students (MARVLS). These tools serve as a bridge, enabling students to connect abstract concepts and 3D models with the traditional 2D representations and equations found in textbooks. By immersing students in a visually engaging and interactive learning environment, these applications facilitate a deeper understanding of complex physics and engineering principles. Dr. McColgan focuses on physics education research, investigating the impact of augmented reality applications on students' conceptual understanding of physics and their spatial visualization skills. She explores how manipulating 3D models and establishing connections between 2D representations, physics equations, and the real-world counterparts can enhance students' comprehension and problem-solving abilities.
Dr. Jason W Morphew http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5971-214X Purdue University – West Lafayette [biography]

Dr. Jason Morphew is an assistant professor at Purdue University in Engineering Education and serves as the director of undergraduate curriculum and advanced learning technologies for SCALE, and is affiliated with the INSPIRE research institute for Pre-College Engineering and the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM. Dr. Morphew's research focuses on the application of principles of learning derived from cognitive science and the learning sciences to the design and evaluation of learning environments and technologies that enhance learning, interest, and engagement in STEM. Morphew earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Educational Psychology from the Cognitive Science of Teaching and Learning Division where he examined self-regulated learning of engineering students enrolled in introductory physics courses.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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