Int. J. Learning Technology, Vol. 13, No.

2, 2018 163

The hologram as a teaching medium for the

acquisition of STEM contents

L. Orcos*
Facultad de Educación,
Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, Spain
Email: [Link]@[Link]
*Corresponding author

Á.A. Magreñán
Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología,
Universidad Internacional de La Rioja,
Logroño, Spain
Email: [Link]@[Link]

Abstract: The aim of the work presented in this article is to assess whether the
use of a hologram enhances the meaningful learning of cellular division
contents. A pilot phase has been carried out with a sample of students of 4th
course of high school education in the town of Logroño, Spain, working with a
control group in a traditional way and an experimental group with the use of the
hologram. A test of knowledge about cell division contents was answered so as
to know if there were significant differences between the results obtained by
the two groups. The statistic U of Mann-Whitney of the non-parametric mean
comparison test showed that there is a significant difference of 2.55 points, at
0.05 level, between results obtained in both groups. Moreover, there was also
assessed the level of motivation and satisfaction when using the tool for the
purpose of knowing their opinion for the future use and development of the
tool. The results obtained lead us to consider the hologram as a potential
teaching medium as well as a highly motivational tool.

Keywords: meaningful learning; cellular division; holographic tool; U of

Mann-Whitney test.

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Orcos, L. and

Magreñán, Á.A. (2018) ‘The hologram as a teaching medium for the
acquisition of STEM contents’, Int. J. Learning Technology, Vol. 13, No. 2,
pp.163–177.

Biographical notes: L. Orcos studied her degree in chemistry at the University

of La Rioja and degree in Biochemistry at the University of Salamanca. She
received her Master’s in Teacher Training at the University of La Rioja and
Master’s in Science and Chemical Technology at the National University of
Distance Education. She is currently studying PhD in Mathematics Didactics
and working in the Faculty of Education of the International University of
La Rioja. She is a member of the Group of Mathematics Applied to Problems
of Engineering (MAPPING).

Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

164 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

Á.A. Magreñán studied his degree in mathematics at the University of La Rioja

and degree in Computer Engineering at the University of La Rioja. He received
his Master’s in Teacher Training at the University of La Rioja and PhD in
Mathematics and working in the School of Engineering of the International
University of La Rioja. He is the lead investigator of the Group of Mathematics
Applied to Problems of Engineering (MAPPING).

1 Introduction

The importance of science in society requires that teaching methods used in classrooms
encourage meaningful learning based on competency achievement. For this reason,
sciences concepts have to be taught in such a way that arouse the interest of students in
understanding the phenomena contemplated in the world around us. The Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pedagogical methodology in the
classroom is crucial as it aims to approach interdisciplinary learning based on project
resolution. This type of methodology brings important benefits when carried out in an
appropriate way, since it allows transferring the knowledge and skills of the student to the
real world in which they live, conferring meaningful learning in which motivation plays a
very important role.
As Ocaña (2015) mentions, STEM education has been developed as a methodology
for the integrated teaching of science and technology from an interdisciplinary point of
view taking into account the importance of the engineering approach based on the
development of knowledge focused on the real technological problem solving. As Ocaña
comments, the benefits of a STEM educational system are the transference of knowledge
and skills to real-world problems, the increase of motivation to learn, the long-term
retention of contents learned and the improvement of subsequent knowledge-related
learning.
It should be noted that the current boom in the use of this methodology is mainly due
to the gradual decline of students to choose science and engineering careers, fact that puts
at risk the future of innovation in these fields.
Concretely, at about 12 years of age, when students go from primary education stage
to secondary education stage, is when a general school failure, lack of motivation and
lack of interest in the subjects begin to appear. In science learning, a goal of researches is
to learn about difficulties in students experience when trying to understand the concepts
due to the fact that the frustration is translated into lack of motivation and decrease in the
academical results (Zeidan, 2010; Cimer, 2012; García et al., 2015).
In this sense, the fourth course of secondary education is crucial as it is when students
have to decide whether they continue with their science studies or not in the
Baccalaureate. It is in this moment when students first see deeper concepts related to
biology and as Tekkaya et al. (2001) mentions, genes and chromosomes, mitosis and
meiosis and Mendelian genetics are considered as difficult concepts for them.
In the case of cellular biology, the concepts of photosynthesis, respiration, genetics
and cellular division are the ones that present the most difficulties. Some examples
directly related to cell division are found in the studies of Banet and Ayuso (2000), who
concluded that students considered the hereditary information to be just found in the sex
 The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents 165

chromosomes, or that the sexual chromosomes are just found in the gametes (Banet,
2000) or the difficulty when understanding meiosis and relating it to the process of
gametes formation (Ibañez and Martínez, 2005).
The study carried out by Íñiguez and Puigcerver (2013) based on a methodology to
favour the conceptual change in students, concludes that it is necessary to use
three-dimensional models and referents as close as possible to the student to enhance
their meaningful learning. In the case of mitosis and meiosis, they allude that their study
has to be related, focusing more on the global biological meaning than on discerning
what happens at each stage of both processes due to fact that if the global process is not
understood, even less would the phases. In the case of mitosis, the authors recommend
starting from a zygote and explaining the process of cell growth by splitting genetic
material between the daughter cells to come to understand that all cells obtained by this
process need to be the same. In the case of meiosis, it should be focused from the point of
view of the variability between individuals so as to understand that the gametes are
haploid cells.
As technology advances exponentially and acquires new educational applications, it
is crucial to take into account how it gives a new meaning to learning. In this context, the
potential of the hologram in training programs is undeniable especially in science
contents learning. The hologram was invented in 1947 by Dennis Gabor, who won the
Nobel Prize for Physics in 1971. The idea consists of a three-dimensional photograph
executed with a laser beam through an object so that a second ray is projected onto the
reflection of light of the first ray, allowing to obtain three-dimensional optical images.
It can be explained that although this technique is not new, the illusory effect that it
transmits has become very popular. There have been advances in the holographic
projection related with the visual improvement of the technique ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ that
was developed in the mid-19th century. Nowadays, this technique is applied with
improvements in the quality projection of the image and binocular vision, which makes it
an animated hologram almost real to the original.
The technique ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ is based on the fact that the viewer is in the main
room but he or she cannot see that there is a compartment hidden under the stage, place
where the actor is located. On the top there is a glass or reflecting surface that shows the
floating and ‘ghostly’ figure of the actor, as a result of receiving the light that impacts on
it and reflects on the surface located on the stage. The room, where the person or object
to be projected is placed, should be dark, preferably black, to highlight luminous colours
on the reflecting surface.
The prisms are also based on the same ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ technique, with the
difference that just a reflective surface is placed on top of a monitor or screen so that the
image is seen on the surface. The animated video should have a black background colour
so that the image is projected and appears to be floating.
The study of Serra et al. (2009) establishes a pedagogical foundation of how the
hologram is a teaching medium considering that it is supported by the principles of
general pedagogy. As this study concludes, the student has the feeling that this object is
present and he or she is more predisposed towards learning. There are three factors that
allow to argue this fact:
a The possibility of such observation facilitates the mental representation and the
formation of concepts, laws, etc.
166 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

b It allows to obtain the representations based on the relationships between the form
and the content.
c Students are able to establish conceptual relationship both of individual and
collective character.
Likewise, their motivational potential is projected in the possibility of generating learning
contexts among equals that encourage the creation of a shared work environment (Pozo
and Monereo, 2009).
Taking into account that the design of technological tools has to be in accordance
with the contents to be taught and that this has to take precedence over the use of the
technology itself, the studies carried out by Kerawalla et al. (2006) show that the use of
technological tools can favour a decrease in the dialogue between students if they are not
used properly, that is to say, if they are used just as a visualisation medium. For this
reason, it is crucial the training of teachers in the use of new technologies, to encourage
students to achieve meaningful learning, fostering collaborative work, for their integral
training.
The project of creating an interactive hologram for teaching science or other subjects
was inspired by the research papers of Balogh et al. (2006) and their collaborators Agocs
et al. (2006). Balogh et al. (2006) made a project in which they used different optical
modules that sent light to a holographic display to show a hologram without the need of
additional use of lenses. Agocs et al. (2006) used diverse optical modules besides mirrors
to obtain certain interactivity.
Other studies have also served as a reference point such as those of Jones et al.
(2007), who developed a device composed of a field light visualiser that allows human
eyesight of binocular type to be able to see an image formed in 360 degrees. This is
possible thanks to a high-speed projector, which transmits images to a mirror with
holographic diffuser and electronic circuit to decode digital video signals. As a result, a
projection of the object is obtained which can be observed without the need to wear
special lenses and which also avoids the restriction of seeing yourself only from a
reference point.
Another study related with the tasting of the effectiveness of holograms in education
is the one performed by Ghuloum (2010) with 400 teachers. The results showed that
educators considered this technique potentially effective in achieving meaningful
learning.
It is worth noting that the research works that refer to the use of holograms for
educational purposes, derived from the collections of Serra et al. (2009), as well as in
Porras’ thesis (2014), are based on analogic or transmission holograms which are in static
plates and are not in motion. They deal with interactive holographic applications through
posterior projection or mobile prisms whose objective is to create interactive contents of
both commercial and institutional applications.
Another study carried out by Lee (2013) comments about how the proper
implementation of holograms in classrooms makes students see themselves submerged in
a striking environment that makes them to concentrate and build their own learning from
their own previous experiences.
 The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents 167

2 Objectives

The general objective of the present work is to design a holographic technological tool
that contributes to the meaningful learning of cellular division concepts of the students of
4th year of high school education of a school located in the city of Logroño, Spain, and to
evaluate their degree of satisfaction after the use of the tool.
To achieve this objective, the following specific objectives have been proposed:
x To identify with a pre-test that minimal notions that the students have about cellular
division in eukaryotic organisms.
x To motivate students to create holographic prisms to understand the concept of
hologram and observe what their characteristics are. This fact is considered to be
important in relation to STEM competences acquisition.
x To evaluate if the degree of meaningful learning has improved after the use of the
tool by applying a post-test to both experimental and control groups.
x To collect those difficulties that remain valid after the application of the holographic
tool.
x To verify through a questionnaire the user experience of the holographic tool.
x To explain the possible limitations of this study and the proposals for improvement
to continue working with the use of holographic tools.

2.1 Research hypothesis

There exist statistically significant differences in the qualifications obtained in both
groups (using holograms and without using them as a teaching tool) in the cell division in
the sample tested.

3 Methodology

3.1 Sample
For the development of this study, there was taken a sample of 40 students from two
classes of the subject biology and geology taught in English language, 20 students from
each class, from the 4th year of high school education (14–15 years old) in a school
placed in the city of Logroño, Spain.
With 20 of the students we worked in a traditional way, which constituted the control
group, and with the other 20 students we worked with the use of the holographic tool.
Both groups were homogeneous with each other and it should be noted that these students
had no deep knowledge of the contents of mitosis or meiosis.
168 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

3.2 Design
It was carried out an exploratory study, given its nature of pilot study of which few works
have been developed. The methodology used in this study is quantitative, using
quantitative continuous variables, since it is based on the analysis of quantifiable data that
are the qualifications obtained in the tests after the development of the experiment. For
this reason, it is an experimental design in which it is evaluated if there are significant
differences between two groups.

3.3 Information collection instruments

Several types of validated questionnaires have been used to obtain the information
required for this project. The questions were of different nature, true or false, multiple
answers and short answers. All tests were conducted with Socrative® Teacher®
application and answered by students with the Socrative® Student® application on the
iPad® Air®.
Firstly, we have worked with a very simple pre-test of ten questions related with the
general concepts of cell division so as taste the previous concepts students had (see it at
the end of the paper).
After the development of the experiment, a post-test of 30 questions was used both
with the control and the experimental group to assess if there were significant differences
between the results obtained after the application or not of the tool (see it at the end of the
paper). The questions in this questionnaire are related with the concepts that students had
to learn related with cellular division in eukaryotic cells fixed by the official curriculum
in terms of the theoretical principles of both division processes and their comparison.
The questions are related with the main processes of cell division and they are divided
in three groups, those related to the initial moment, those related to the phases and those
related to final result of the divisions. It is important to mention that test questions
increase in number (1 to 30), the level of difficulty is greater. From question 17 to 30,
questions are related to the phases of the process.
Finally, the test about the use of the tool consisted of ten questions to know the
opinion of the students in terms of assimilation of contents, motivation and proposals for
improvement.
All tests were conducted with Socrative® Teacher® application and answered by
students with the Socrative® Student® application on the iPad® Air®.

3.4 Procedure
The work with the control group was in a traditional way so that the teacher explained the
concepts and finally there was played a silent video taken from Youtube® of both mitosis
and meiosis. The pre-test of previous knowledge about the concepts of division was
answered before the explanation of the concepts and both the post-test and the
questionnaire about the user experience were answered after the lesson.
For the work with the experimental group, after having answered the pre-test, the
holographic pyramidal prisms were assembled, which can show the figure in 360º, having
the teacher previously explain the students hot to do it. The videos, that were the same
that those used with the control group, were edited with the Camtasia® video editor to be
used in the form of a holographic projection.
 The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents 169

For the reproduction of the holographic videos, we worked with iPad® Air® and the
pyramidal prism was placed in inverted position on them. The prisms were made with
polyethylene music and plastic CD cases, using measurements appropriate to the
dimensions of the iPad® Air® (2.5 cm of base, 13 cm of base and 8.5 cm of height).
After finishing the activity with the holographic prisms, the content post-test and the
questionnaire on the use of the holographic tool were answered. Figure 1 shows the
arming process of the prisms and Figure 2 shows the projection result of watching the
video with a pyramidal prism.

Figure 1 Pyramidal prism for a 360° hologram (see online version for colours)

Figure 2 Holographic projection of metaphase in mitosis (see online version for colours)

3.5 Analysis of data

First, the percentages of correct answers from the pre-test for both groups were collected
so as to have a notion of what concepts did the students know or although they did not
know them, they could get to them easily from their previous knowledge.
For the analysis of post-test results, as we did not work under parametric assumptions
and the sample was less than 30 cases for each group, both control and experimental, the
hypothesis test performed for the comparison of means in independent groups was the U
of Mann-Whitney, (McKnight and Najab, 2010). Its function is the same as the one of the
T of student test, but it compares the means of the comparable group ranges. The ranges
are a transformation of the scores of the variable analysed to be able to carry
non-parametric analysis. The interpretation is similar to an average; a greater range
indicates higher values in the results of that group.
The null hypothesis, Ho, established that there were no significant differences
between the groups and the alternative hypothesis, H1, that there were. In case that the
value obtained was lower than the p-value, for a level of significance of D = 0.05, the null
hypothesis was rejected.
170 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

For each of the 30 questions in the post-test, the percentage of hits between the
control group and the experimental group was compared, by means comparison. In
addition, it has been made an assessment of the concepts that have not been completely
acquired after the use of the tool and those that it will be necessary to propose its
improvement. Finally, the results of the user experience test of the tool were collected
and analysed in a qualitative way.

4 Results and discussion

4.1 Pre-test results

As mentioned, the pre-test consisted of ten questions about very simple concepts related
to cell division. Since the students had not seen the processes of mitosis and meiosis in
depth before, the qualification obtained in the pre-test was very low. The results showed
that 47.6% of the students knew that a human cell has 46 chromosomes and 57.1% that
when the cell divides the genetic material is making chromosomes.
In addition, 61.9% of the students knew that the process by which the autosomal cells
are obtained is mitosis and 57.1% that the sexual cells are obtained through meiosis. Only
23.8% of the students knew that mitosis consists of a single process of division and
meiosis are two consecutive processes and 66.6% considered both processes as cyclical.
In relation to the results of the division processes, 33.3% of the students agreed both
premises that during mitosis cells obtained are equal to each other and equal to the
mother and during meiosis they are different from each other and different from the
mother. There was 23.8% who only knew the certain premise of mitosis. The 33.3% of
pupils who knew both premises, only 28.6% concluded that the result in mitosis were two
cells of 46 chromosomes and 14.3% that there were four cells of 23 chromosomes. When
it was asked to the students to number the phases of mitosis and meiosis none knew to
answer properly.

4.2 Results of the traditional post-test and the post-test after using the
hologram
The U of Mann Whitney is used when the size of the groups is small (lower or equal to
30 cases), although there are quantitative (in this case the qualification is considered as a
continuous variable) dependent variables.
The results of the analysis are presented in two different sub-tables that are shown in
Table 1. The first one shows the descriptive results for the two groups analysed. It is
possible to identify the average range in the qualification variable of both groups. In this
case, the students of the experimental group obtain a higher rank in the qualifications
(28.63), compared to 12.38 obtained by the control group. As already mentioned, a
greater rank is equivalent to a greater score on that variable. However, to know if these
initial differences are significant the second sub-table should be observed.
The rejection or acceptance of the null hypothesis depends on the value of the
calculated statistic, in this case U, and its associated probability. In the same way as the
rest of the statistical tests, for the results to be significant, that is, to reject the null
hypothesis and to affirm the difference between the scores of the dependent variable, the
value of that probability has to be less than 0.05.
 The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents 171

This indicates that the proposed null hypothesis has a low probability of occurrence
and, therefore, should be rejected.
In this case, differences in the dependent variable (qualifications) between the groups
can be affirmed. The value of the associated probability is equal to 0.000, less than 0.05
that is used as the margin of error.
The comparison of means test of two independent groups under the non-parametric
assumptions, U of Mann Whitney, was carried out with the SPSS statistical program and
reported the results collected in Table 1. A higher range indicates which group obtains
higher scores in the dependent variable.

Table 1 Results of U of Mann Whitney test for the contrast of means in independent groups

Group Number Mean rank Sum of ranks

Control 20 12.38 247.50
Experimental 20 28.63 572.50
Total 40
Test stastisticsa Qualification
Mann-Whitney U 37,500
Asymp. sig. (2-tailed) .000
Exact sig. [2*(1-tailed sig.)] .000b
Notes: aGrouping variable: group.
b
Not corrected for ties.
As it can be observed, the level of significance obtained is less than 0.05, so the null
hypothesis is rejected, concluding that there are significant differences between the two
groups, control and experimental.
Table 2 presents the descriptive statistics of both groups. The difference of means of
the qualifications between both groups obtained is 2.55 points, which concludes that the
use of the holographic tool has improved the meaningful learning of the concepts of cell
division in the studied sample.

Table 2 Descriptive statistics of control and experimental groups

N Estandar
Group N Range Min Max Sum Mean Variance
valid deviation
Control 20 20 4.83334 2.91666 7.75 115.838 5.7919 1.4639 2.134
Experimental 20 20 4.22000 5.78000 10 166.840 8.3420 1.1191 1.420

In Figure 3, it is shown the comparison between the correct percentages of response in

both tests and in Figure 4 it is shown the difference in percentage between both tests per
question.
As Figures 3 and 4 shown, the major differences can be observed from question 17 to
question 29 (more than 40%). These results lead us to important conclusions due to the
fact that, as mentioned before, the level of difficulty of those questions is greater, so we
can deduce that the use of the hologram has enable students to understand these concepts
better.
172 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

Figure 3 Comparison of the percentage of correct answers from both post-tests (see online
version for colours)

Figure 4 Difference between the results obtained in both control and experimental post-test
(see online version for colours)

These questions are most of them related to the phases of both cell division processes and
their differences. As Íñiguez and Puigcerver (2013) comment, it is important that students
understand the global process to know what actually happens at each phase. As results
show that students have understood concepts related with the phases better with the use
of the hologram than in a traditional way, we can assume that this tool has a great
potential for 3D explorations.
The fact of being able to watch the cell in three dimensions in the key moments in
which more differences between mitosis and meiosis can be observed has helped students
with the understanding and relation of both cell division processes.

4.3 Main difficulties remaining after the use of the holographic tool
It has been considered important to evaluate the main difficulties observed after the use
of the hologram with the intention of being able to improve in a future. These difficulties
have been distinguished depending if they are related with the initial moment of the cell,
with the phases and the events that take place in each of them and with the final or global
result of the processes.
 The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents 173

According to the initial moment of the cell, one of the difficulties observed is related
to how the genetic material is when the cell is going to divide since only 60% of the
students have chosen the right answer (when the cell is in the normal state this is in the
form of chromatin).
In relation to the number of chromosomes, 20% of students have not chosen the right
answer (all the autosomical cells are diploid) and 15% have not understood that the
gametes are haploids due to the fact that when they are fertilised they have to originate a
diploid zygote.
This percentages of right answers show that students have understand the global
processes of both divisions thanks to the visualisation of the cell un three dimensions
with the use of the hologram.
Major failures have been observed by differentiating the events that occur in each
phase of cell division and by comparing both types of divisions in relation to those
phases. 40% of the students have not understood that before cell division the cell has to
grow in size, duplicate the DNA and centrosome and increase the number of nutrients
and organelles. All have marked the option that DNA has to be duplicated before the
division begins, but the processes of growth and duplication of nutrients and organelles
have been left, probably because they are not related to the genetic material.
Only 50% of the students have answered that during the prophase the chromosomes
are formed, so they have not understood the concept that in the natural state, the cell has
its genetic material in the form of chromatin, as mentioned in the first paragraph of this
section. At the prometaphase, 45% of the students did not mark any of the processes that
are carried out considering 40% of them that in this phase is when the genetic material
duplicates.
A percentage of the 40% of the students have left some of the processes that occur in
the telophase, but all have answered that the cells obtained are equal to the mother and
the 75% have answered that it that occurs at the same time as the cytokinesis.
In order to know if the students had strengthened the differences between the mitosis
and the meiosis, two types of questions have been made in relation to the key phases
where the main differences can be seen, mitotic prophase and meiotic prophase I, mitotic
anaphase and meiotic anaphase I. All students knew that the main difference between the
prophase of mitosis and the prophase I of meiosis is genetic recombination but 20% did
not point to the formation of tetrads in the meiotic prophase I. In the anaphase, it has been
seen that the students have had more difficulty when comparing both processes since
45% of them have indicated that during mitosis the chromosomes go to the poles and in
anaphase I chromatids go to the poles.
These facts lead us to consider that is needed to emphasise in these aspects when
chosen the video or performing it with the hologram so as students do not leave any of
the events that take place. However, as mentioned in the study of Íñiguez and Puigcerver
(2013), the failures related to the discernment of the phases are not as important as the
compression of the process itself. In the concrete case of the prometaphase, many
textbooks omit it and divide the nuclear processes and the union of the achromatic
spindle between prophase and metaphase, respectively.
Regarding to the global result of the processes when the students were asked how
were the cells formed after the processes of mitotic and meiotic division, 85% and 90%
of the students, respectively, answered correctly. 15% of students have answered that
174 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

mitotic daughter cells are different between them and different to the mother and 10%
that the meiotic daughter cells are equal between them and different to the mother.
By asking students how many chromosomes the daughter cells obtained by mitosis
will have on a human being, 15% have mistakenly answered that they will have 23 and
the same has happened when they have been asked about meiosis, 15% have answered
that 46 chromosomes.
In the case of meiosis, the percentage of success was lower, 45% of the students have
marked that after meiosis I each daughter cell will have the half of chromosomes, that is
to say, four chromosomes each with two chromatids. In relation to meiosis II, only 40%
have marked that each daughter cell will have four chromosomes of only one chromatid
each.
This fact leads us to consider that students have had more difficulties with meiosis
than with mitosis which is normal because meiotic division englobes more intermediate
events. It would be necessary to emphasise in this fact when improving the 3D
visualisation with the use of the hologram.
Finally, in relation to the compression of the final result of mitosis and meiosis as a
whole by putting a concrete example of a 2n cell with n equal to four chromosomes, only
10% of the students have indicated all the correct options. The remaining 90% have left
correct answers. The correct answer that has the highest percentage of hits is in relation to
the number of chromosomes and chromatids that each daughter cell has in mitosis. The
80% of the students have marked that they will have 8 chromosomes of two chromatids
each.
In this case, it has been observed that some difficulties are remaining when putting a
concrete example that leads us to consider that students have difficulties when
extrapolating the concepts learnt. It would necessary to emphasise in the number of
chromosomes and chromatids in each phase in the video performed with the hologram.

4.4 User experience of the tool

The results of the questionnaire to assess the degree of satisfaction and the experience in
the use of the resource, showed that the 60% of the students knew that a hologram is a
virtual representation of a real object, 15% answered that it is an illusion, 15% that it is a
mirage and 10% that it is a game.
In order to assess whether they really knew what a hologram is based on, they were
asked about the scientific basis for the phenomenon of holography, and 85% of the
students spoke in terms of reflection of light. On the other hand, they were asked if they
had ever seen a hologram and all the students answered that not in real form, but yes in
the films and even two students remembered the hologram that was made after the death
of Michael Jackson in an honorific concert.
In relation to the experience in the use of the hologram, 75% marked that the part
they had liked to most was to see the video with the holographic prism and 25% opted for
the construction of the hologram.
The 95% of students considered that holography can be very useful to study science
contents, 68.4% because it encourages the process of meaningful learning and 31.6%
because it is highly motivational.
In addition to its use in biology, 60% of the students considered that it would be very
useful to study molecular models in chemistry, the rest said in physics, mathematics and
technical drawing. The 80% of the students see holography as a better teaching tool than
 The hologram as a teaching medium for the acquisition of STEM contents 175

traditional based on the use of conventional videos or animations and the same
percentage said they would like it to become a tool for common use in classrooms and
that they would like to know more types of holographic tools.
Students believe that 3D models are very useful in the classrooms to see concepts to
learn as a part of reality where they live, so they learning process is more meaningful.

5 Conclusions

The objectives that have been raised in this research have been achieved through the use
of the holographic tool. The test of comparison of means shows that there are significant
differences between the results obtained in both groups, the control, that has worked with
a traditional methodology and the experimental one, which has done it by means of the
holographic prism. As a consequence, the hypothesis of the study has been proved.
The hologram has a great potential in the classrooms due to the fact that it is a toll
that enables to create collaborative work environments from a constructivist point of
view.
The reasons why this tool is thought to be better for science learning than the typical
videos and animations is because it has been probed that it has increased the degree of
motivation of the students of the sample chosen when working with it due to its impact
by the reflection effect of the light and therefore their learning is more meaningful as the
attention shown increases.
This fact leads us to consider the potential and effectiveness of this tool as it favours
the learning process of science contents, much of them not visible to the eye, like if they
were in the three dimensions. The results lead us to agree with those obtained by Lee
(2013) due to the fact the students have been submerged in an environment that has allow
them to build their own learning.
Moreover, we consider the hologram is believed as a very suitable tool for the
acquisition of STEM competences as it allows student to relate different scientific and
technological aspects from a practical point of view as the requirements of society will
demand them in the future.
The results obtained are consisted with the conclusions (Serra et al., 2009) established
in terms that the student has the feeling that this object is present and he or she is more
predisposed towards learning. Moreover, As Pozo and Monereo, (2009) comment it has
become clear that is motivational potential has encouraged the creation of a shared work
environment.
The questionnaires related to the content used, both the pre-test and the post-test, are
considered to be adequate to test the effectiveness of the hologram in terms that, when
answered, they give us the appropriate information to evaluate the knowledge acquisition
in the students. Moreover, the questionnaire related to the user experience has given us
the information required to corroborate the increase of motivation in the students when
using this tool and the conclusions got by Ghuolum (2010) who points that students see
the hologram as a future teaching tool. Students have understood the physical process
behind the use of the hologram in terms of light reflection which is has enable them to
achieve STEM competences relating concepts in a global context.
It has been verified that there have been some difficulties in understanding certain
concepts related to cell division, so a number of improvements are proposed due to the
176 L. Orcos and Á.A. Magreñán

limitations of this study. On the one hand, one improvement is to get the tool better, to
achieve larger prisms to project on larger screens and give more sense of augmented
reality. On the other hand, another improvement is to make a video in which the phases
of both processes of cell division can be seen simultaneously to favour the comparison
between both of them and to make students better understand all the events that take
place in each phase.
However, results have shown that students have understand the results of the global
processes which, as Íñiguez and Puigcerver (2013) comment, is the most important fact at
this level.
As a future perspective, a system is being developed to work with interactive
holograms through the phenomena ‘Pepper´s Ghost’ and ‘rear projection’ in which
semitransparent sheets are used to work the contents through an interface of interaction
using a motion sensor as Kinect. It is also intended to apply this type of methodology in
more schools not only with the contents worked in this study, but also with other science
and mathematics topics. Another investigation that is being thought to be performed is
related to long-term evaluation, to test whether students in the experimental have really
understand concepts better than the control group.

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