Back at the end of June, I went to the ISTELive23 conference in Philadelphia. I had an AMAZING time and met lots of fantastic educators. Something that got me really excited was all the sessions on Augmented Reality.
I have to admit, the last time I looked at AR for the classroom, I was overwhelmed. It was too technical and too expensive for me to be willing to jump in. BOY HAS THAT CHANGED!
What?
Before we dive too far into Augmented Reality, let's take a second to make sure we are all talking about the same thing. There's a bit of terminology to get out of the way.
Augmented Reality (AR) | Virtual Reality (VR) |
Augmented Reality (AR) puts a digital image in the real world. Things like PokemonGo, some TikTok filters, and Ikea's Place view in room tool are all examples of AR. | Virtual Reality (VR) is a completely different technology. It's immersive and places the user in a virtual world. Some VR does require the headsets (like Occulus or Meta), but not all do. Many video games are semi-immersive. For more info about VR, check out this article from Atria University. |
AR works by using a camera to find a trigger. The trigger tells the camera to run the AR experience. It's similar to how your camera scans a QR code and knows to open a link.
You can either use pre-made AR or create your own, depending on your comfort level. We will go into some examples below of each.
Try it Out
I made a quick and easy AR experience using MyWebAR. More on the specifics of the tool later, but the reason I liked it so much was that it is run through your web browser, so it doesn't care what kind of device is being used. To open the experience, scan or click on the QR code on a device with a camera.
Can you see our friend the dinosaur? Try moving where he is placed by tapping or clicking somewhere else. Move the camera around and get closer. AR is great for examining 3-dimensional objects in detail.
Once students see AR, the first thing they want to do is put the object in strange and unusual places. Of course, adults are no better. My husband immediately put the dino with our napping dog!
Now that you know what AR is and have tried it, it's time to delve into how you can use it in the classroom.
In the Classroom
You don't have to spend money to use AR in your classroom. Technically all you need is a device with a camera, though it is easier to do with a tablet, iPad, or phone.
First you need to decide what AR you are going to use. Most AR involves downloading an App to access a library of resources. There are some free options, but then you have to set up the AR yourself.
Using AR with Apps
There are a lot of Apps now that connect teachers with AR libraries. Some are one time purchases and some are subscription services.
I've been playing with the demo from MergeEDU that I got at ISTE. They have a ton of resources in their library, including anatomical models and historical artifacts. MergeEDU works really well with the MergeCube, which is basically a foam cube that the AR gets "placed" on. Instead of moving your device around the AR, you move the cube. It's really cool, if a bit pricey.
There are a lot of options, and we will be spotlighting some of them in future blog posts. In the meantime, Jamie Donnally's blog is a GREAT place to get started. I had a chance to hear her present at ISTE and it was a game-changer for how I think about AR.
No Apps Needed! (FREE and Teacher Eberle's favorite)
Resources
Jamie Donally is, in my opinion, the Queen of AR. If you haven't heard of her, wander over to her blog to check it out.
MergeEDU is a lot of fun to play with, and you can get a free trial on their website.
Create an AR avatar of yourself using the directions on Jamie Donally's blog. I did it myself at ISTE!
Halo AR lets you connect your AR to any trigger, so when you are ready to expand beyond QR codes, it's a great place to start. It is app-based, so you can't use it on a computer.
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