Integrating Augmented Reality Sandbox Technology to Enhance Hydrology Education in Civil Engineering: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) tools may support hydrology instruction by turning abstract watershed concepts into visible and manipulable processes. This pilot study reports the construction and classroom implementation of an AR sandbox to support basin and watershed understanding in an undergraduate civil engineering hydrology course in Bolivia. The system combines a depth sensor and projector with open-source software to overlay real-time elevation, contour lines, and simulated water on a physical sand surface. The AR sandbox was integrated into one laboratory session within a 20-week course, following a socio-constructivist approach in which students worked in small groups to iteratively model landforms and test hypotheses. The activity was organized around four learning objectives: (1) delineating watershed divides from terrain form; (2) identifying drainage direction and flow accumulation; (3) distinguishing endorheic basins, where water ponds internally, from exorheic basins, where water exits through an outlet; and (4) connecting topographic changes with runoff pathways through simulated rainfall. Student perceptions were collected through a brief postsession questionnaire and complemented by instructor observations. Self-reported responses indicated high engagement and perceived support for understanding key ideas such as watershed boundaries, drainage direction, basin outlets, and the contrast between closed and open hydrologic systems. From an instructional standpoint, instructor observations suggested that the hands-on visualization helped address common misconceptions and supported the transition to subsequent numerical and geographic information system (GIS)–based tasks. While the evidence is preliminary and based on short-term perception measures, the findings suggest that AR sandbox activities may serve as a practical and adaptable supplement to hydrology education, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Future implementations will incorporate performance-based assessment, including pre- and postactivity questions, rubric-based watershed-delineation tasks, and comparisons of student performance on drainage-network and GIS-based exercises.