Augmented reality (AR) is the use of technology to allow users to superimpose sensory information on the existing world through devices, such as glasses, phones, tablets, or earphones. Unlike in virtual reality (VR), users still see the real world, but with superimposed images or sounds. Applications can run the gamut from pilots viewing altitude and speed settings overlaid upon their surroundings (Emspak, 2016) to kids using their phones to locate and catch Pokémon characters in real-world settings.
In 2017 a new term was popularized: fake news. While lessons on analyzing source credibility are nothing new for English teachers and librarians, the topic of being a critical consumer of information has taken on new urgency for all Americans. Students must learn to analyze information in order to use it wisely in their own learning. Even more importantly, citizens of a democracy need to exercise these same skills as they encounter media in everyday life. These skills are essential in making well-informed decisions for society.
This particular trigger image depicts the variety of media outlets available to consumers. It can be difficult to make sense of all of these competing voices, so the Aura overlay shows how we can analyze the purpose of a source and its credibility to determine if something may be fake news.
If I were able to develop this Aura further, it would be interesting to make it more interactive for users. For instance, I would love for users to be able to look at a headline and make a decision about if it’s designed to be inflammatory or if it seems to accurately reflect the facts of the article. Allowing for this type of interaction would more meaningfully recreate the experience of analyzing news in a real situation. Another limitation of my attempt is that it requires users to point a phone or tablet at a digital image on another device. While it's a fun exercise, the need for multiple devices takes away from the "real-world" feel of the experience. It would be interesting to explore using GPS or other types of triggers to integrate AR into more natural, everyday experiences.
One criticism the educational use of AR has received is that it will create yet one more technological “distraction” for students in the classroom and can even lead to cognitive overload (Augmented Reality, 2018). Educators often have enough trouble keeping students focused on a lesson and away from the lure of their phones. Many instructors would lament AR as another tech gimmick designed to divert deep, prolonged attention and discussion of a topic. To avoid such pitfalls, AR must be implemented and managed in a way that is truly meaningful to course content and integrated in a way where students know what to do with the additional information they receive. For instance, well designed and scaffolded experiences may decrease a students’ cognitive load by providing sensory information to supplement a process; however, ill-timed or irrelevant sensory input may prove overwhelming to learners. Keeping this balance, as well as learners’ developmental capabilities, in mind will allow students to benefit from the immersion and excitement of a new technology but still practice the complementary processing, practice, and discourse skills necessary in meaningful learning.
Across the body of research, Ackyavir and Ackayvir (2017) noted enhanced learner outcomes and pedagogical contributions, which included aspects such as learning achievement, motivation, attitude, enjoyment, and engagement. In particular, researchers noted that AR inspired a sense of play in learning and student satisfaction in AR providing them with the precise information they needed as they needed it during the learning process. Two elements that seemed to work in favor of learner engagement were the gamification or novelty effect of many AR applications, as well as the sense of agency students felt in guiding their own AR explorations. Finally, 10% of the research reviewed indicated that the use of AR increased the level of learners’ interaction with one another, with their teachers, and/or with the content (Ackyavir & Ackayvir, p. 7).
Despite the excitement accompanying AR in education, its promise must be weighed against the challenges it presents in the classroom. Akcayir and Ackayvir (2017) note that students and teachers often report difficulties using the technology due to glitches and the inherent learning curve. Like most technologies, it is wonderful when it works, but very frustrating when it does not. Additionally, because their research studied first-time uses of AR, gains in learner enthusiasm were likely due in part to the novelty of the technology, which might lessen over time. Meanwhile, instructors who choose to adopt AR not only need to learn material outside of their content area but devote significant class time to teaching students how to use AR technology if lessons are to go smoothly.
While research has looked at a variety of age ranges and disciplines, Akcayir and Ackayvir (2017) noted a dearth of data on the use of AR for students with special needs. When considering the potential for AR to reduce cognitive load alongside the difficulty students sometimes experience in its actual use, such research would prove useful. Similarly, as many authors have noted both the potential for cognitive overload in AR, as well as its potential to ease cognitive load, careful study of this aspect is needed. In particular, researchers and educators must consider the developmental capabilities of the targeted learners and systematically document the relative success among the variety of instructional AR designs. Doing so will enable educators to utilize technologies that have proven to enhance student learning rather than simply trying it and finding it another amusing novelty or cumbersome distraction.
My Own Aurasma Attempt (Username: kmichaelson7)
Aurasma Studio is an AR technology that allows users to embed videos and other information in triggering images. Others can then view these "Auras" using the app on a smartphone or table. As part of my investigation of AR, I attempted to create my own educational Aura about the need for media literacy.In 2017 a new term was popularized: fake news. While lessons on analyzing source credibility are nothing new for English teachers and librarians, the topic of being a critical consumer of information has taken on new urgency for all Americans. Students must learn to analyze information in order to use it wisely in their own learning. Even more importantly, citizens of a democracy need to exercise these same skills as they encounter media in everyday life. These skills are essential in making well-informed decisions for society.
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| Aurasma user: kmichaelson7 |
If I were able to develop this Aura further, it would be interesting to make it more interactive for users. For instance, I would love for users to be able to look at a headline and make a decision about if it’s designed to be inflammatory or if it seems to accurately reflect the facts of the article. Allowing for this type of interaction would more meaningfully recreate the experience of analyzing news in a real situation. Another limitation of my attempt is that it requires users to point a phone or tablet at a digital image on another device. While it's a fun exercise, the need for multiple devices takes away from the "real-world" feel of the experience. It would be interesting to explore using GPS or other types of triggers to integrate AR into more natural, everyday experiences.
Educational Applications
AR has spurred excitement in education by offering a more stimulating, interactive experience for students. It has been argued that its engaging nature, as well as its flexibility can facilitate greater knowledge retention by creating a “complete learning cycle” where students both learn about and practice interacting with material (Augment, 2015). Additionally, AR offers great potential in distance learning, from allowing students suffering from health issues to participate in the classroom from home to presenting online content in a more “hands-on” and interactive modes.
Like VR, AR can also be used to energize traditional lectures by presenting students with augmented visuals or sounds that bring the lecture material to life. However, unlike VR in many ways, the blended nature of AR can help students to see where their academic and “real” worlds merge by layering learning materials on top of the world that surrounds students every day. The Horizon Report makes a compelling point that this will allow for greater transference of knowledge by helping students build “connections between their lives and their education through the addition of a contextual layer” (Johnson, Adams, & Cummins, 2012, p. 29). Thus, students can use AR to authentically investigate academic content in the world around them.
Like VR, AR can also be used to energize traditional lectures by presenting students with augmented visuals or sounds that bring the lecture material to life. However, unlike VR in many ways, the blended nature of AR can help students to see where their academic and “real” worlds merge by layering learning materials on top of the world that surrounds students every day. The Horizon Report makes a compelling point that this will allow for greater transference of knowledge by helping students build “connections between their lives and their education through the addition of a contextual layer” (Johnson, Adams, & Cummins, 2012, p. 29). Thus, students can use AR to authentically investigate academic content in the world around them.
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| Source: Curiscope |
Emerging Uses & Arguments
A growing number of companies are working to help educators implement AR across a wide range of disciplines and ages. Curiscope, for example, has created an AR application where students can point their devices at a special ‘triggering’ t-shirt and view the body’s internal organs on another person. Meanwhile, Popar can bring the experience of reading to life for children by allowing them to view AR material relating to a book’s content as they read. Other technologies can inspire kids to get outside and explore the world around them, such as Geo AR. Utilizing technology similar to Pokemon Go, Geo AR lets kids explore an outdoor environment tagged with educational content (Touchstone Research, 2016). While all of these applications show promise in creating engaging and exciting learning experiences, the use of AR in education is not without controversy.One criticism the educational use of AR has received is that it will create yet one more technological “distraction” for students in the classroom and can even lead to cognitive overload (Augmented Reality, 2018). Educators often have enough trouble keeping students focused on a lesson and away from the lure of their phones. Many instructors would lament AR as another tech gimmick designed to divert deep, prolonged attention and discussion of a topic. To avoid such pitfalls, AR must be implemented and managed in a way that is truly meaningful to course content and integrated in a way where students know what to do with the additional information they receive. For instance, well designed and scaffolded experiences may decrease a students’ cognitive load by providing sensory information to supplement a process; however, ill-timed or irrelevant sensory input may prove overwhelming to learners. Keeping this balance, as well as learners’ developmental capabilities, in mind will allow students to benefit from the immersion and excitement of a new technology but still practice the complementary processing, practice, and discourse skills necessary in meaningful learning.
Pedagogical Considerations
As teachers decide whether or not to invest their time and resources in AR, it’s important to examine the efficacy of the technology in engaging students and enhancing learning outcomes. The 2016 Horizon Report for Higher Education notes positive preliminary results from AR pilots in terms of peer-to-peer learning, improved group dynamics, increased foreign language vocabulary retention, and greater motivation (Johnson, et al., 2016). In a comprehensive review of AR research in education, Ackyavir and Ackavir (2017) uncovered several informative trends and findings. In examining the distribution of AR research, the demographics skewed toward K-12 settings more heavily than is typical of educational research. This focus points to AR’s unique fit for younger learners who—while still in a concrete operations stage and reliant on sensory information—will benefit from AR’s supplemental sensory input. While there were fewer studies of educational AR for adults, the early results were promising in terms of helping those in technical and industrial settings learn to prevent errors and focus on problematic steps in a process. |
| Source: DHGate |
Across the body of research, Ackyavir and Ackayvir (2017) noted enhanced learner outcomes and pedagogical contributions, which included aspects such as learning achievement, motivation, attitude, enjoyment, and engagement. In particular, researchers noted that AR inspired a sense of play in learning and student satisfaction in AR providing them with the precise information they needed as they needed it during the learning process. Two elements that seemed to work in favor of learner engagement were the gamification or novelty effect of many AR applications, as well as the sense of agency students felt in guiding their own AR explorations. Finally, 10% of the research reviewed indicated that the use of AR increased the level of learners’ interaction with one another, with their teachers, and/or with the content (Ackyavir & Ackayvir, p. 7).
Despite the excitement accompanying AR in education, its promise must be weighed against the challenges it presents in the classroom. Akcayir and Ackayvir (2017) note that students and teachers often report difficulties using the technology due to glitches and the inherent learning curve. Like most technologies, it is wonderful when it works, but very frustrating when it does not. Additionally, because their research studied first-time uses of AR, gains in learner enthusiasm were likely due in part to the novelty of the technology, which might lessen over time. Meanwhile, instructors who choose to adopt AR not only need to learn material outside of their content area but devote significant class time to teaching students how to use AR technology if lessons are to go smoothly.
While research has looked at a variety of age ranges and disciplines, Akcayir and Ackayvir (2017) noted a dearth of data on the use of AR for students with special needs. When considering the potential for AR to reduce cognitive load alongside the difficulty students sometimes experience in its actual use, such research would prove useful. Similarly, as many authors have noted both the potential for cognitive overload in AR, as well as its potential to ease cognitive load, careful study of this aspect is needed. In particular, researchers and educators must consider the developmental capabilities of the targeted learners and systematically document the relative success among the variety of instructional AR designs. Doing so will enable educators to utilize technologies that have proven to enhance student learning rather than simply trying it and finding it another amusing novelty or cumbersome distraction.
References
Ackayvir, M.
& Ackayvir, G. (2017). Advantages and challenges associated with augmented
reality for education: A systematic review of the literature. Educational
Research Review, 20, 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2016.11.002
Augment. (2015).
5 reasons to use Augmented Reality in Education. Retrieved from http://www.augment.com/blog/5-reasons-use-augmented-reality-education/
Emspak, J. (2016,
Mar 22). What is Augmented Reality? LiveScience.
Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/34843-augmented-reality.html
Johnson, L., Adams,
S., and Cummins, M. (2012). NMC Horizon Report: 2012 K-12 Edition. Austin,
Texas: The New Media Consortium.
Johnson, L.,
Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Estrada, V., Freeman, A., and Hall, C. (2016).
NMC Horizon Report: 2016 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media
Consortium.
Touchstone
Research. (2016, Oct 14). 12 Companies Working on AR Technology for Education.
Retrieved from https://touchstoneresearch.com/12-companies-working-on-ar-technology-for-kids/
Good post... Augmented reality has been successfully used at many business industries.
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