Augmented reality

Guest post by Alfonso Mendoza, @myedtechlife

Augmented Reality is changing the way we learn. Augment Learning with Augmented Reality offers a glimpse into how augmented reality will enhance K-12 education in public schools, as well as some of the challenges that need to be overcome for AR’s educational potential to be fully realized.

Augmented Reality can be very effective in helping teachers enhance their in-person and virtual classroom experiences. With augmented reality, students can “walk” through a virtual environment or visit a museum in a different country with a headset or a mobile device. This could mean virtual posters on a real wall, or it might mean overlaying an interactive digital map of Europe onto physical maps that are hanging up in class. AR allows students to be more engaged in their learning. AR provides a different way of thinking and this helps develop creative ways of solving problems.

Augmented Reality creativity tools can now be accessed on mobile devices such as tablets and cell phones and headsets. These tools allow students to create artwork, animation, and interactive media that can be shared with others. AR technology enables the student’s work to come alive in a virtual environment such as an animated movie, museum exhibit, or television commercial. AR also offers accessibility for individuals with disabilities such as blindness or low vision, and deafness.

Teachers do not need to fear AR technologies, but we do need to make sure that we provide professional development to have them play, be creative, but also make the technology relevant to their subject matter. As educators, we must be aware of the technology that is being used today so that we can prepare our students for the jobs of tomorrow.

There has been a ton of buzz about Augmented Reality and how it is changing the way we teach our children. If you have used AR in your classroom or know someone who has, let me know what you’ve experienced with this technology so far. In my experience as an educator, I find that when students are more engaged they learn better than if they were just sitting at their desks listening to a lecture. What do you think? Let me know by leaving a comment below!