The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Augmented Reality as,
"an enhanced version of reality created by the use of technology to overlay digital information on an image of something being viewed through a device."Unlike virtual reality, which creates a totally immersive experience, augmented reality uses the real world and enhances it for the user. Also, unlike traditional book learning, augmented reality is interactive. These two aspects of AR help make the user active part of the learning experience.
The Augment article, 5 reasons to use Augmented Reality in Education, shows how augmented reality can be used to help promote learning. I'll take a look at three of these reasons.
- Interactive Lesson - When a student can interact during the course of a lesson, they will feel like they are part of the learning process. Even the augmented reality may be virtual, by making the lesson interactive can help the students have a hands-on experience during the lessons.
- Higher Retention - the article sites using a three dimensional rendering of the eiffel tower. Students can get a deeper understanding of the subject because they can view it from all angles. Also, augmented reality can include links to other sights where all it takes is a touch to take the student to a different site with additional information on the subject. Having these extras can help lead the student to deeper learning and ultimately help increase retention and even encourage mastery of a subject.
- Foster Intellectual Curiosity - Using myself as the student and once again the example of the Eiffel Tower, I've always wondered what it would be like to stand at the base of the tower, walk around it, and go up to the top to see the view. Augmented reality can help place the tower right in the room with me and can explore and satisfy my curiosity from the screen of my smartphone or tablet.
Companies are finding new ways to incorporate Augmented Reality into the educational setting. Aaron Burch's article, 12 Companies Working on AR Technology for Kids. shows how this is being accomplished.
- Curiscope is incorporating AR in to collaborative learning with their Virtual-Tee. One student wears their special t-shirt and other students can use their smartphones to explore the human body in a once of kind experience.
- Popar is an augmented reality app that helps bring their toys, books and charts to life. Readers can use their smartphones and tablets to access the Popar app and when they look at their books and charts through the application they come to life. The often mundane act of studying then becomes an interactive lesson and encourages the uses to explore further to satisfy their curiosity.
- Blippar takes the users world around them and turns it into a classroom. the article used pizza as an example. Using the Blippar App the student would take a picture, "of a pizza it would bring up things related to pizza like Italian food, and it would also bring up something you could click on that would show you pizza places near you." Again applications like this help satisfy a persons natural curiosity and allows them to explore any number of things around them to gain a better understand and deeper knowledge.
I've describe the benefits Augmented reality can have in the education environment, but ultimately there will be criticism of the technology. One shortcoming that immediately came to mind is information overload. I looked at how I use my computer when researching information. I often find myself diving deep into the rabbit hole and getting far away from what I initially began searching for. Augmented reality can be that gateway to the rabbit hole. The lure of interactive technology may encourage deeper research but it can also open the flood gates of information and make it difficult to narrow down what information is important. It can also lead the user in the wrong direction and away from what they were originally searching for.
Aurasma is another exciting augmented reality application. I can see it being very useful in my educational setting. Students could the Auras to learning about the different equipment in the studio and how to use it. Also they could scan over the different production people and learn what is expected in those roles. If I were to further develop this I would make my trigger image a 360 degree photo of the studio and add a geotag to the picture. This would allow students to walk into the studio and pan and tilt around the studio with the Aurasma app. Throughout the picture I would add overlays on each piece of equipment and production positions that would have introductory or how to videos for them to view. This would allow the user to get a better understanding about what happens in the studio during a live television production.
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Rocket Hall TV Studio Aurasma Aura Project |
Aurasma is another exciting augmented reality application. I can see it being very useful in my educational setting. Students could the Auras to learning about the different equipment in the studio and how to use it. Also they could scan over the different production people and learn what is expected in those roles. If I were to further develop this I would make my trigger image a 360 degree photo of the studio and add a geotag to the picture. This would allow students to walk into the studio and pan and tilt around the studio with the Aurasma app. Throughout the picture I would add overlays on each piece of equipment and production positions that would have introductory or how to videos for them to view. This would allow the user to get a better understanding about what happens in the studio during a live television production.
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