<![CDATA[Learning sound waves at the senior secondary level requires students to connect abstract physical concepts with mathematical representations and creative problem-solving. However, conventional instruction often does not sufficiently support students in moving between verbal, symbolic, graphical, and contextual forms of understanding. This study aimed to develop an augmented reality (AR)-assisted physics e-module based on Bugis-Makassar traditional musical instruments and to examine its effectiveness in improving students’ creative thinking and mathematical representation skills. The study used a research and development design based on the 4-D model, consisting of define, design, develop, and disseminate phases. Participants included 250 Grade XII students for empirical instrument testing, 35 students for the readability trial, and 105 Grade XI students in three intact classes for the field test. The field test compared an experimental class using the AR local wisdom e-module, a control class taught through discussion and question-and-answer activities, and a control class using an existing non-AR e-module. Data were analyzed using validation scores, normalized gain, one-way MANOVA, univariate follow-up tests, Tukey HSD, and partial eta squared. Expert and practitioner validators rated the product, lesson plans, and instruments as very good or very valid. The experimental class achieved a high normalized gain in creative thinking (0.720) and a moderate gain in mathematical representation (0.651), with partial eta squared values of 0.597 and 0.317, respectively. The AR e-module significantly outperformed both comparison classes in creative thinking but did not differ significantly from the non-AR e-module in mathematical representation. This study's novelty lies in combining AR, local wisdom, sound wave learning, and a non-AR digital comparison. The findings contribute to physics education by showing that culturally grounded AR is particularly useful for supporting creative thinking, while its added value for mathematical representation depends on the comparison condition.]]>
