Summarize the
topic of the module
The purpose of this module is to
introduce the idea of augmented reality and augmented learning to educators as
a resource to create authentic learning opportunities. Augmented reality allows
both educators and students to create and investigate digital information on
top of physical world environments. “Frequently,
AR is used to provide information that can help the user better understand
their current environment. For example, the application Google Sky Map can
specify the name and location of a specific planet, star, or constellation in
the night sky” (Wasko, p. 18). When
using this application, students lay their mobile device in front of the sky
for an explanation of what they are looking at.
This is quite different than virtual reality. “Allowing students experience an augmented
version of reality (in the real world) as opposed to a virtual reality (on a
computer, in their classroom) is key distinguishing characteristic of this
instructional approach. Instead of controlling an avatar while exploring a
virtual world, students essentially become the avatars and the physical world
becomes the navigation space” (Wasko, p. 18).
This can lead to using real world settings and information to solve
problems and create the most authentic type of learning.
The first online
resource I read gives a brief summary of augmented reality but is mainly
focused on the uses of AR. The authors’
argument for AR is that it deepens the learning experience for students. Not only can students read about the human
body in a science class but also they can manipulate and explore the different
human body systems using a mobile device through AR applications. The article
continues to give links and suggestions of software educators can use to build
and create these different types of experiences. Aurasma is the application they refer to with
an explanation of multiple classroom uses.
They provide links to the website as well. In the last 20 years through the introduction
of new technologies into schools throughout the United States, many ideas can
be fads. The authors explain why AR
learning is not one of those fads. “Though it might be a buzz term in
education circles, don't assume that AR is just another fad. After all,
profound learning occurs when students create, share, interact and
explain. AR not only changes the environment around children, it also allows
kids to construct their own exciting learning worlds as small as the atom or as
big as the cosmos” (Nelsoney & Minock, 2013).
The second
source is a video from Qualcomm Inc., showing schools in southern California
using augmented reality in and away from their classroom as a tool for
authentic type of learning. “We can’t go
back to Istanbul and go to the bazaar and try to haggle and do all that kind of
stuff in the same amount and reality as we can do it with augmented reality. It puts it into perspective of going into a
market visually, which benefits our ELA learners,” explains Brian Patterson.
Another benefit to augmented reality is the ability to interact with historical
artifacts, documents and objects which could be found in a museum but due to
the safety of those objects can’t be hands on.
An augmented reality experience can let students experience historical
events, in the real world setting, which may have existed thousands of years
ago.
The third resource is an article
titled, “What Teachers Need to Know About
Augmented Learning Environments”.
This seems to be a beneficial reading to anyone looking to understand
the basics of augmented reality. The
article begins with background information on the early beginnings of augmented
reality. The core purpose of this
article is about the location augmented reality is being used. Augmented reality can be used in the
classroom but that doesn’t get the most out of resource. “The environments are
grounded in constructivist and situated learning theories and typically require
students, working in teams, to leave classroom and navigate a relevant real
world location while working to solve an ill-defined problem. While
participating in the experience, students use a MBD to access AR content in the
form of virtual characters and objects. This digital content enhances the
learning environment and provides students with relevant information that can
be used to devise a solution to the problem” (Wasko p. 18). The article lists ten different AR learning
environments, which can be used in a school setting. Depending on the grade level or school
location, being able to send your students out on their own could be difficult. Making something like this part of a field
trip would be a way to bring students to a different environment they could
learn from in real time and real world situations.
The last resource is a video from
Ted by two employees from Aurasma, Matt Mills and Tamara Roukaerts. I mentioned Aurasma earlier in the first
summary. They are a company that creates
augmented reality for mobile devices. The
purpose of their talk is to show the benefits of using augmented reality in
different settings, how available and easy it is to use. Matt Mills shows
examples of using augmented reality to interact with history, set up a router
and even stay up to date with current print media. The reaction from both the audience and the
clip from the classroom of students using this augmented reality really show
you the power it can have over creating meaningful lessons. The last segment, Matt displays how easy it
is to create a video tagged over an image.
I tried it through the application and it is very simple and easy to
use. I plan on trying this some how in
the future in my classroom.
contrast the ideas to those in an assigned reading.
The
relationship of the two sources I found speaks of the same purpose and usage
behind augmented reality. It is a way to
use technology to enhance learning in a visual setting. The process of laying a virtual image over a
real world image and then seeing the information appear before you work similar
to your brain. Your brain stores information to images the same way augmented
reality does. When you see something
your brain provides you with the information regarding the image or object. When using a mobile device to view an image
or object, augmented reality applications can lay virtual information over the
physical image to provide an interactive learning experience.
All
of the readings and resources support each other in their beliefs and purpose
of augmented reality. The reason to use
augmented reality is to provide experiences that are incapable of happening
happen. Not only is it for those types
of experiences but also it can be used on a much smaller scale in the classroom
during lessons and homework. There are varying degrees for which this can be
brought into the education setting. This type of learning is still very
new. With the development of
smartphones, augmented reality has taken off.
All the readings focus on spreading this use and showing examples of its
use in classrooms to help promote this way of learning.
Apply the concepts of the reading into an educational setting.
With the availability of smartphones
and the internet, augmented reality is more accessible than ever. However, not all elementary to middle school
students have smartphones. “Most schools may not yet own sets of
mobile broadband devices that can be used for this type of instructional
delivery. If their school does not own the requisite equipment, teachers may be
able to source a set of phones by calling upon parents to send their internet
enabled MBDs to school for a day” (Wasko, 20-21). If a school is 1:1 with iPads than this type
of learning is much more available. In
my school, I would first have to tally who has a smartphone per class. If there were enough to have people work in
groups of two or three than I could use this learning. There are quite a few things you could do
with augmented learning. In sixth grade,
during the beginning of the year, I could send the students on a virtual tour
throughout the school with their phones.
They would have to reach certain parts of the school and in order to
discover where they go next, they would scan images on the wall and they would
get either a pop up clue or a pop up video from a teacher giving directions on
where to go to next. Showing them and
having them physically walk rather than telling them would be beneficial to
students in a new school. In regards to
what I teach, social studies, I assign a wide variety of readings throughout
the year. Many readings are handouts and
others come through the textbook. It
would be cool for the students after a reading to be able to scan an image or
word from the reading and see a short clip in regards the topic they read
about. For instance, a topic on Ancient
Egypt and mummification is interesting but after reading about it, to see a
clip of the mummification steps or actually mummies from this time period
uncovered would be taking the reading to a higher level. A final way to use augmented reality would be
with vocabulary. At the beginning of
each chapter, we go through vocabulary on the overhead. Instead, have the vocabulary words around the
room. The students scan the word with
their device and up pops a picture of the word and students can create their
own definition based on the image.
Another option is up pops a teacher to give the students the definition
and the word in a sentence. All of these
options would be student driven and creating interactive learning
experiences.
Mills, M., & Roukaerts, T. (2012, June 1). Image recognition
that triggers augmented reality. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from
http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_mills_image_recognition_that_triggers_augmented_reality?language=en#t-15855
Minock, D., & Nelsoney, T. (2013, November 4). Augmented Reality Brings
New Dimensions to Learning. Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/augmented-reality-new-dimensions-learning-drew-minock
Qualcomm Inc (producer). 2013 Augmented Reality to Enhance Education in San Diego {Video
File}. Retrieved from https://www.qualcomm.com/videos/augmented-reality-enhance-education-san-diego
Wasko, C. (2013). What Teachers Need to Know About Augmented
Reality Enhanced Learning Environments. TechTrends, 57(4), 17-21.
Retrieved January 29, 2015.
