Augmented reality (AR) has been widely used in higher education because of its unique characteristics that combine virtuality and reality. This study systematically reviewed the literature on the application of AR in higher education between 2000 and 2023. A total of 237 articles were selected, and the key research findings were analyzed and synthesized based on the coding manual from five aspects: basic information, disciplines, technology features, instructional design, and research results. The results revealed interesting findings regarding AR literature in terms of publication trends and applied disciplines, technical features and affordances, instructional design, and learning outcomes and measurement methods. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was conducted on 60 experimental studies selected from the literature to examine the overall effectiveness of AR-based instructions. The results indicate that AR applications in higher education tend to have a large overall effect size (g = 0.896, 95% confidence interval = [0.685–1.107], p = 0.000), with two significant moderators: instructional function and learning outcomes. Additional sensitivity and publication bias analyses confirmed the robustness of the meta-analytic findings. Based on these results, four implications for educational practice and research investigating AR-supported higher education were proposed and discussed.

Game-based learning (GBL) places high demand on educational resources and has been widely practiced in classrooms in many developed countries; however, few studies on GBL and its influencing factors have been conducted in developing countries. To address this research gap, a mixed-methods study was conducted in a state high school in the Amazon region of Colombia with 64 tenth-graders who were learning English as a foreign language to identify the factors that affect learners’ learning outcomes when serious games are applied to vocabulary learning, with a specific focus on learning engagement. This study drew on both quantitative and qualitative data collected from surveys, interviews, and pre- and post-tests. The results showed that engagement and prior knowledge can positively predict GBL outcomes, while contextual factors and family condition had an adverse impact on GBL outcomes (Adjusted R² = 0.635, p < 0.01). The results also indicated that a male student with a higher level of prior knowledge would be more likely to achieve good grades in GBL. Based on the study results, several implications are proposed for incorporating serious games for vocabulary learning in less-developed regions. This study results provide important practical implications for high schools in developing countries to implementing GBL.

Online teaching is considered an important approach for achieving sustainable learning and education, and college teachers’ attitude and behavioral intention are essential for the sustainable adoption of online teaching practice in higher education institutions. To examine the influencing factors that sustain teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a sample of 1102 college teachers in Central China using hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore the possible influencing factors at the following four levels: individual experience, environmental support, self-perception, and technology acceptance. The study results show that the subjective norms, readiness, beliefs, and perceived usefulness of online teaching had a significant impact on the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention. Nevertheless, the effect varied with factors like the online teaching load and teachers’ technology self-efficacy, and their influence seemed to be singular, affecting the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching or behavioral intention exclusively. In contrast, previous online teaching experience did not notably affect either. The findings of this study reveal the complex interactions of the factors that influence college teachers’ disposition toward and decisions about online teaching practices and emphasize the need for targeted strategies to maintain and enhance online education in the post-pandemic era.

Online teaching is considered an important approach for achieving sustainable learning and education, and college teachers’ attitude and behavioral intention are essential for the sustainable adoption of online teaching practice in higher education institutions. To examine the influencing factors that sustain teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a sample of 1,102 college teachers in central China, using hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore possible influencing factors in four levels: individual experience, environmental support, self-perception, and technology acceptance. The study results show that the subjective norms, readiness, beliefs, and perceived usefulness of online teaching had a significant impact on teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention. Nevertheless, the effect varied with factors like online-teaching load and teachers’ technology self-efficacy, as their influence seemed to be singular, affecting the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching or behavioral intention exclusively. In contrast, previous online-teaching experience did not notably affect either. The findings of this study reveal the complex interactions of factors that influence college teachers’ disposition toward and decisions about online-teaching practices and emphasize the need for targeted strategies to maintain and enhance online education in the post-pandemic era.