Accelerating Learning in Ecuador's Technical Institutes : The Impact of Using Mixed Reality to Teach Auto-Mechanics

This study evaluates the impact of incorporating mixed reality—including both augmented and virtual reality—into auto-mechanics training for students enrolled in selected public technical technological institutes in Ecuador. The intervention aims to enhance students' understanding of automotive mechanics by teaching the fundamental principles of internal combustion engine operation through nine competency-based learning modules delivered over one academic semester. The study employed a stratified randomized controlled trial at the class level, assigning auto-mechanic classes within each institute to either the mixed reality–enhanced training laboratory (treatment) or the standard curriculum (control). To measure learning outcomes, students completed pre- and post-intervention cognitive tests, complemented by student surveys assessing technology usability, motivation, and engagement. This comprehensive approach enabled the study to quantify the effects of the training on student learning and identify mechanisms through which learning occurred. The results indicate that students exposed to mixed reality–based instruction scored, on average, 0.37 standard deviation higher on post-tests than those in the control group—a statistically significant effect at the 1 percent level. These findings are consistent with effect sizes observed in training programs aimed at college students in high-income countries. The evidence also points to increased engagement and motivation as key channels through which mixed reality enhanced learning, underscoring the potential of immersive technologies to improve vocational training outcomes in low- and middle-income settings.