Augmented Reality (AR) is an emerging technology that is gaining greater influence on teaching every day. AR, together with mobile technology, is defined as one of the most efficient pairs for supporting significant and ubiquitous learning. Purpose of the study: the Instructional Material Motivational Survey (IMMS), by Keller, was used to determine the degree of motivation possessed by the Pedagogy students on the utilization of the notes enriched with AR in the classroom, available for their didactic use through mobile devices. Methods: through an app designed for the courses Education Technology (ET) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Applied to Education, the motivation gained when participating in this experience, and how it influences the improvement of academic performance, was evaluated. Results and conclusions: the most notable main result was finding a strong relationship between the motivation of the students when using the enriched notes and the increase of performance in the academic subject where it was used. Likewise, it was proved that the use of Augmented Reality benefited the learning process itself.

“Augmented reality” (AR) is presented as technology that harmonizes, in real time and with user collaboration, digital information with physical information through different technological supports. Such are AR possibilities, that when it is incorporated into teaching, students show high satisfaction rates and positive attitudes for its use, but at the same time, a series of limitations and obstacles can be noticed. As an attempt to investigate the technical, curricular and organizational difficulties of AR incorporation in training contexts, an instrument “AR obstacle questionnaire” (CORA) was designed, which in turn was administered to a total of 264 subject experts for validation through the Delphi method, subsequently applying the “K coefficient” ( $${\rm{K = }}{1 \over 2}$$ Kc (knowledge coefficient) + Ka (argumentation coefficient)), selecting those experts who obtained a ≥ 0,8 score in the coefficient. Among the results obtained in the study we manage to point out the main obstacles involving AR implementation into university education: the lack of teacher training and improvement, the few educational experiences found, lack of conceptual foundation, limited educational research and lack of institutional support.

The scarce presence of technologies at the early childhood education level today is a cause for worry. This study aims to provide information on the training of future early childhood education teachers and their relationship with technologies. The work is based on a pretest–posttest methodology through a cross sectional descriptive study. The sample is made up of 535 4th year students of the Degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of Seville. Descriptive and contrast analyses were performed as well as contrast statistics and effect size. The results show that the training received by the students was a key element to improve self-perception of digital competence. There were statistically significant changes between before and after receiving the training. The changes produced always meant an improvement in the students’ self-perception. In the study of their profiles, relevant changes were also identified. Whereas before training subjects were grouped into newcomer and explorer categories, after training they were grouped into the highest profiles: integrator, expert, and pioneer. For this reason, it is necessary to manage training plans to allow future teachers to position themselves at an expert level.

Teachers’ digital competence is essential in contemporary education due to the growing role of technology in society, schools, and classrooms. This study examines teachers’ digital competence in the context of the Iberian Peninsula, covering 170,603 in-service teachers in Spain (Andalusia) and Portugal. Its main objective is to analyze the differences in teachers’ digital competence between these two countries and explore the factors that could influence this competence. The study methodology is based on a large sample of teachers who completed the validated DigCompEdu Check-In. Descriptive, contrast and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. The results indicate that, in general, Portuguese teachers showed a slightly higher level of digital competence compared to their Spanish counterparts in all competence areas assessed. The competence area “Facilitating Learner's Digital Competence” obtained lower scores in both countries, which stresses the need to improve teachers’ ability to foster the digital competences of their students in digital safety, critical literacy or problem solving. Results further show that gender, age, educational level and teaching experience are significant factors in explaining teachers’ digital competence. This study underscores the importance of implementing personalized training programs adapted to the individual needs and characteristics of teachers. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the significance of fostering collaboration among teachers, promoting spaces and opportunities for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices. This collaboration not only helps bridge the gap in digital competence among educators but also drives updated and relevant education in the digital age.

This study compares the level of digital competence of Spanish higher education teachers in the use of three types of ICT resources in the classroom: digital tools to consume information, digital tools to produce information, and emerging technologies. To measure the level of competence, the validated DigCompEdu Check-In instrument with an ex post facto design is used. The sample consists of 2180 university teachers from Andalusia (Spain) working in different areas of knowledge: Arts and Humanities, Sciences, Health Sciences, Engineering and Architecture, Social and Legal Sciences; and classified into three levels of teaching experience: between 0–5 years, 6–14 years, and 15 years or more. The results show that teachers with 15 or more years of experience represent the group with the most significant differences in regard to their level of digital competence when comparing the use of the three types of ICT resources; furthermore, the results were similar for all areas of knowledge. In addition, the visualization or creation of videos, as well as the visualization or creation of posters and concept maps, are the resources that were found to be most significant for the three levels of experience. For each specific area, it is recommended that each of their results is analysed in detail. Finally, further research is recommended to validate these preliminary findings in each of the knowledge areas.

The incorporation of mixed, virtual, and augmented reality into the educational context takes place in this study through the development of a 3D object shaped by the artistic expressions of the Church of the Annunciation in Seville. In a study of an experimental and exploratory nature with a single group, we worked with a total of 20 students enrolled in a Master’s degree, taught at Seville University, under the title of “Arte: idea y producción” (Art: idea and production). A questionnaire based on the “Technology Acceptance Model” (TAM) was used to ascertain the degree of acceptance that the utilized technology had created among students after their participation in the experience. Likewise, the questionnaire permitted understanding of the assessment made by students concerning the presented objects. Among the results obtained, it is noticeable that the participating students show a high level of acceptance of augmented and virtual reality technologies, alongside favorable attitudes towards their utilization and the intention to use them. It is worth highlighting as a significant conclusion that the exploratory study was performed within a real classroom situation, suggesting that both technologies can be applied in formal training environments.