Augmented reality is – literally – reshaping the world around us.
(Image credit: Giphy)
From catching creatures in Pokémon GO to making silly faces with Snapchat and Facebook picture filters, AR has infiltrated the mainstream, with combined hardware and software revenues set to exceed that of VR by the year 2021.
As developers of custom-built game-based learning experiences, much of our interest in augmented reality lies in its applications as a tool for learning and training. Our studio is obsessed with reading about all the cool ways that teachers and educators are incorporating AR into their classrooms – if you have experience using AR in your school, tell us all about it on Twitter or Facebook! For those who have yet to make the plunge, there’s never been a better time to get started – check out the ideas below for inspiration. ✨
Taking Reading to the Next Level
What could possibly be better than reading a great book? It’s simple – reading an AR-enhanced one! Augmented reality apps can greatly enhance a reader’s experience, bringing static content to life in stunning interactive 3D. In recent years, a number of high-profile publishers have released their own take on AR-enhanced books. UK-based Carlton Books, for example, has published a line of “Digital Magic” children’s books featuring topics like bugs, puppies, and the solar system. In a similar vein, our studio worked alongside Capstone Publishing to develop their Capstone 4D augmented reading experience platform, allowing readers to scan book pages to reveal bonus video content related to what they’ve read.
“Show-And-Tell for a New Generation”
A continuation of their wildly successful classroom VR initiative, Google Expeditions AR helps bring abstract concepts to life, enabling students and teachers to bring virtual objects like tornadoes or strands of DNA into their classrooms – no cleanup required! With Expeditions AR, teachers have the ability to augment nearly any lesson, summoning virtual models and artifacts to help engage students with immersive lessons across all subjects – physical science, history, biology, and beyond. Want to see what an AR Expedition looks like in action? Check out the video below…
Authoring Your Own Stories and Experiences
For many, simply experiencing the joy of augmented reality is a worthwhile and memorable experience. But what about those who want to take their learning to the next level by creating educational AR experiences, rather than simply experiencing them? Luckily, there exist several platforms which allow you to do just that. Metaverse AR, one of the more popular augmented reality learning platforms, allows students and educators alike to create their own interactive AR experiences using the web-based Metaverse Studio. To access, download the free Metaverse App and view your custom-made experiences – or play those created by others. The company even maintains a public spreadsheet tracking user-created AR content across all grade levels and subjects – if you or your students create an experience of your own, let us know so we can give it a try!
Looking for more ways to take your EdTech to the next level?
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