Augmented Reality

My first Aurasma Studio Aura.  To check it out, go to  
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Define augmented reality and explain 3 reasons it might help promote learning in new ways.

     “Augmented reality is using technology to superimpose information on the world we see… [it] adds to the reality you would ordinarily see rather than replacing it” (Emspak, 2016).  Without the need for special (and sometimes awkward) equipment, teachers and their students can easily utilize augmented reality (AR) to enhance content—and they should. 

     AR applications facilitate interactive learning environments that increase comprehension.  In a recent review of research, Akçayır and Akçayır found that “most of the studies [they reviewed] reported that AR technology in education leads to “enhancement of learning achievement” in educational settings.  Numerous studies [also] indicated that AR promotes enhanced learning performance” (2016).  Why does this happen?  Because AR in an opportunity for interaction.

     “Augmented Reality is a technology enriching the real world with digital information and media, such as 3D models and videos, overlaying in real-time the camera view of your smartphone, tablet, PC or connected glasses” (2016).   Many classrooms have one-to-one integration with iPads or other tablets.  Even for classrooms that don’t, students can still access interactive experiences with what little a teacher may have.  Many parents would be open to downloading free AR applications on their smartphones—all teachers have to do is share the information. 

     Once students have a taste of AR, they won’t want to go back to learning without it because AR fosters intellectual curiosity.  “Born in the digital era, your students will be continuously stimulated with augmented reality.  They will be excited by new ideas and think critically about the world around them.  Introducing augmented reality to your students will enable them to discover unknown passions and inspire their future endeavors” (2016).  

Describe 3 ways that companies are creating AR products for use in educational settings.

     Companies are creating AR products to breathe new life into books and puzzles.  Students invest much of their spare time with a controller and screen—time that teachers have no control over.  Applications such as Popar and Interactive AR make the content of once-static materials come to life.  “When you order one of [Popar’s] products and…it arrives you download the app that comes with it; while reading through the book or chart you will have the opportunity to use the app to make the content come alive” (Burch, 2016).  Interactive AR’s stance is that “engaging kids in educational content is harder than ever, and asking them to read a standard printed book will be a tough sell; but asking them to build a puzzle or read an AR book and just enjoy themselves is much more plausible and enjoyable for everyone involved” (2016). 

     The simple act of coloring is also getting a facelift with AR technology.  Quiver Vision and Crayola Color Alive are two applications that will allow students’ creations to become interactive.  Does coloring need improvement?  According to the people at Quiver Vision, “technology is prompting kids to leave traditional toys and methods of entertainment in the dust; if the more traditional mediums don’t keep up with technology then they’ll find themselves abandoned by kids everywhere” (Burch, 2016).  The developers at Crayola Color Alive agree.  They don’t want coloring to become an activity of the past, but they also want AR to be embraced by youth.  To motivate kids to use their app, they use familiar and beloved characters.  “Brand recognition is important and it will aid in adoption of this new form of technology utilizing AR; kids will be more interested to try this out with one of their favorite characters form Frozen” (2016).

     GEO AR Games isn’t blind to the fact that kids don’t play outside as much as they used to, and they are using AR to help change that.  “GEO AR Games is working on games which are similar to Pokémon Go in the sense that in order to play, kids will need to go outside with a smartphone or tablet and move around…anyone with a smartphone or tablet can use it, and it encourages kids to go outside and play” (Burch, 2016).  Even if teachers cannot find a link to curriculum, GEO AR Games will foster imagination and fun.

Describe one criticism of using AR in the classroom.

     Most of the AR experiences currently available for classroom applications aren’t adaptable for students with special needs.  For example, a large part of the student population is composed of small children.  AR has a lot to offer and the benefits shouldn’t be postponed until a student is a particular size.  Most AR applications involve sight and only sight.  Developers need to work on applications that accommodate the vision-impaired population.  Although not classified as a special need, many students don’t have access to technology that supports AR, whether at school or home.  The intention of AR is to enhance learning, not create a divide between the haves and the have-nots (2017).  Until it encompasses everything that the student population is, this will be difficult to avoid.

Describe pedagogical contributions of AR, challenges of using AR in the classroom, and two areas for further research in AR.

     Although AR was introduced as a training tool for Air Force and airline pilots, it can now be used with students at any grade level and in any content area because there is no need for anything other than the knowledge of AR and a smartphone or tablet.  AR is taking learning to places previously unimaginable.  It promotes the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills while promoting communication through collaboration.  AR also supports student comprehension in areas that were previously solely abstract.  “By displaying virtual elements alongside real objects, AR facilitates the observation of events which cannot easily be observed with the naked eye” (Akçayır & Akçayır, 2016).  AR applications allow students to work independently, providing immersive learning-by-doing situations.  Overall, AR provides highly engaging, enjoyable, and interesting learning events that put paper-and-pencil learning to shame.

     Along with the numerous pedagogical benefits of AR, challenges exist.  Aside from what I have already addressed (students with special needs, fair and equal access, safety), teachers are often a huge hindrance.  As the lead facilitators in any classroom, they are also going to be responsible for embedding AR into the content standards and incorporating it into the curriculum.  Unfortunately, many teachers exhibit inadequacies when it comes to using technology.  To solve this problem, professional development must be provided, along with the tools to implement AR in the classroom.  In many districts, this will require money that is sometimes hard to find.  An even bigger obstacle?  Teacher desire to learn.  Many teachers are tech-resistant and complacent with their instructional practices.  The only way to address this is through district initiatives that require teachers to meet technology standards while providing the necessary resources. 

     There are many gaps in the research on AR.  One area involves the design and usability of AR applications with students as the focus.  More information on learners’ opinions about usability and their personal preferences needs to be garnered to accommodate classroom needs.  Another area that requires further research is AR design and implementation with diverse populations.  Most AR applications have been designed for and used by the middle-school-and-above, sighted population.  This eliminates a wide variety of learners from experiencing AR and all that it has to offer.  I am looking forward to the future and how all learners can be accommodated with AR.

Aurasma Studio 

Explain how and for what purpose your Aura might be used in an educational setting.

     I envision students using Aurasma to embed themselves into experiences that relate to classroom content.  My Aura from the Toledo Zoo is an example of what a student could embed into a report on Giant Gourami or a way to report on a field trip experience.  It could even be used as a way to express a journal prompt with media.  What did you do this weekend?  I went to the Toledo Zoo and you won’t believe what the Giant Gourami did to me!  With Aurasma, the creative purposes are only limited by the imaginations of the teachers and students—that, and lack of teacher know-how!

If your product were more sophisticated or further developed, what potential do you envision for it to make learning more or less engaging?

     Aurasma will allow me to give students experiences to interact in ways that make the content more applicable to their personal lives.  I would go through the Algebra textbook and make an Aura for every lesson in the student book.  Imagine the chapter on slope?  I would have roller coasters, ski jumps, cars careening down mountainside roads, hikers climbing steep trails…the students would never have the chance to ask me when they would see ANYTHING in the real world because I would embed reality throughout their entire textbook with Aurasma!

Resources

Criticisms of augmented reality. (2017). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://augmented-reality-in-education.wikispaces.com/Criticisms of Augmented Reality

L. (2016, January 26). 5 reasons to use augmented reality in education. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://www.augment.com/blog/5-reasons-use-augmented-reality-education/

Emspak, J. (2016, March 22). What is augmented reality? Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://www.livescience.com/34843-augmented-reality.html

Burch, A. (2016, October 14). 12 companies working on AR technology for kids. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://touchstoneresearch.com/12-companies-working-on-ar-technology-for-kids/

Akçayır, M., & Akçayır, G. (2016, November 5). Advantages and challenges associated with augmented reality for education: a systematic review of the literature. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://www.journals.elsevier.com/educational-research-review/

How augmented reality works. (2016). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from http://www.augment.com/how-augmented-reality-works/

 

Virtual Reality

Experience my Thinglink 360 VR Photosphere from the Toledo Zoo and Side Cut Metropark.

Define virtual reality and contrast its barriers/concerns and potential uses for learning.

     Virtual reality (VR) is “a believable, interactive 3D computer-created world that you can explore so you feel you really are there, both mentally and physically” (Woodford, 2016).  And it really is!  In May of 1994, I experienced VR for the first time on a trip to Texas.  I was in a huge arcade in Houston.  I entered a fenced-in area, put on a special helmet and gloves, and entered a different world.  Fast-forward to 2015 when I bought my Google Cardboard and experienced VR, again, in the comfort of my home with my smartphone.  Twenty-one years had passed without my knowledge of any VR development or further experiences.  As a seventeen-year-old, it was like playing a game.  Now, all I can think about is getting this technology into my students’ hands. 

     VR has the potential to engage my students in ways beyond their imaginations.  With VR, we would be able to go on field trips around the world.  Miss Frizzle’s Magic School Bus trips would be available to us: we could get lost in space, cruise through the human digestive system, and spend time, side-by-side, with ants in their colonies.  Only limited by the imaginations of developers, VR brings the potential to go anywhere.  I spend much of my time trying to figure out how to trigger each student’s intrinsic motivation.  The ability to explore with VR could be what I’ve been searching for, especially when combined with the option to exercise choice.  I would let students spend time choosing their adventures and explorations, based on their interests.  From flight simulators to experiencing abstract topics in a more tangible way, there is something for everyone—but does this ‘everyone’ include my students?

     As I learn about VR applications and the necessary hardware required, I can’t help but think about fair access.  I am already struggling with trying to implement flipped classrooms.  In fact, I can’t—not all students have computers and internet access at home.  At least with VR, I could provide all of the necessary equipment in my class.  When I say I, I mean my school district.  The funds aren’t available to upkeep our current, aging technology.  To expect them to provide high-end VR classroom-ready computers is unrealistic.  However, Google Cardboard is affordable.  I could apply for money from DonorsChoose.org and have a classroom set—but what about the students who don’t have a smartphone?  And even if everyone did have a smartphone, would it be fair to use Google Cardboard with my blind student in the class?  I didn’t feel right about using graphing calculators earlier in the year (so I didn’t)—my feelings are the same for VR, as well.  Plus, there’s the issue of students getting so caught up in VR that they neglect what is actually real.  I don’t think we would use it enough in my classroom for this to happen, but it’s something I am aware of.

     I am, by nature, a glass-half-full type of person.  This extends beyond my personal life and into the classrooms I teach in, daily.  With VR, it is easier for me to focus on the possibilities while keeping the barriers in the back of my mind.  I think this is because I know that, inevitably, VR will be a part of every classroom.  I hope this happens during my time in public education. 

Describe 3 forms of virtual reality and embed a video that illustrates each form.

zSpace

zSpace looks like a basic computer screen, but it’s actually an interactive platform that allows students to experience VR and AR one-on-one in ways currently not supported by traditional computers.  Students can go on virtual field trips, participate in interactive experiences, and create VR and AR media.  To learn more, skim through their brochure.

Google Expeditions

Google Expeditions allows students to go places they would not normally be able to go.  As long as they have Google Cardboard and a smartphone with the required Cardboard applications, they can tour museums and parks around the globe, explore the systems of the body, travel back in time to learn more about dinosaurs, and much more.  The possibilities are endless.

NYTVR

The New York Times has a large collection of news stories and events that allow news-lovers (like me) to immerse themselves in the story.  There are several YouTube videos from the perspective of the 3D viewer.  The link I have provided, The Fight for Falluja, allows the viewer to experience battles against ISIS in Iraq while listening to a narration by the journalist.  Many stories are intense and, if used in the classroom, would need to be carefully previewed by the teacher before used in instruction.  The app is free.  I urge you to download the app and explore for yourself.    

Describe the relationship between VR and cognition.

      “The distinction between learning from technology versus learning with technology is what defines technology as a cognitive tool” (Zap & Code, 2016).  Cognition is the mental action or process that allows us to acquire knowledge and understanding with our thoughts, experiences, and senses.  Virtual reality (VR) changes how we think and experience the world be altering our environment.  Often, VR reduces the cognitive effort that would normally be required to understand a situation by making the abstract into something tangible.  When this happens, VR can be thought of as a means of scaffolding learning.  What would be difficult to comprehend can now be grasped.  What would have been left to the imagination is now an environment in which the learner can be immersed.  With VR, cognition is fast-forwarded through increased student motivation and improved learning experiences that empower and motivate students.

What are the implications for using VR in educational settings?

     Expect VR to be in every classroom around the world.  The benefits outweigh the challenges to the level that the challenges will be overcome.  Currently, schools have a lack of space for VR labs and the finances are not keeping the pace of technology developments.  Districts have to ensure fair, equal access to technology.  They must consider students with disabilities, all socioeconomic backgrounds, and all possible ethical situations.  Teachers will need professional development on VR technology and implementation.  Furthermore, researchers and developers need to communicate with teachers and students on their classroom/educational needs.  This means teachers will need to read the research.  VR isn’t just a cool way to pass time in the classroom, and it certainly isn’t a babysitter for student behavior.  Teachers will need to learn how to facilitate a full class through VR experiences while linking VR to content standards.  They will also need to be aware of the emotional implications of VR experiences and how to guide students through them appropriately.  Once these challenges are met and VR is being implemented in classrooms, students will benefit from all of the things that VR promises: motivation, more creativity, active student participation, deeper comprehension, and overall improved learning experiences.

References

Woodford, C. (2016, December 25). What is virtual reality? - A simple introduction. Retrieved January 29, 2017, from http://www.explainthatstuff.com/virtualreality.html

Zap, N. & Code, J. (2016). Virtual and augmented reality as cognitive tools for learning. In Proceedings of EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2016 (pp. 1340-1347). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).