Augmented Reality (AR) is a new form of technology that’s bound to reshape how students learn in classrooms.
Imagine a classroom where students can easily interact with 3D models of the solar system, the human cell, or even an atom, or even perform tasks like dissection, car repairs, and engineering in immersive learning environments, all without the need for a single real-life tool.
The use of AR in classrooms can help you do this by providing hands-on learning opportunities for students through interactions with digital environments in their physical world.
Let’s take a deep dive into how augmented reality can transform education.
Augmented Reality and Its Use in Learning Environments
AR is a new technology branch that allows users to experience a layer of digital elements in the real world.
I know. Sounds a bit confusing. Let me explain.
Imagine wearing glasses that let you see around you like you normally would. However, with AR, you can see additional things in the real world, like a web browser, your Instagram feed, or even videos of cute dogs that we all love watching.
AR uses some interesting technology. Cameras and sensors gather information about the user’s surroundings. The software then processes that information. Holographic displays can present the information in the user’s field-of-view through digital overlays for hands-on training, giving the impression that those digital elements physically exist in the user’s environment.
This is often confused with Virtual Reality (VR), which uses similar technology and is entirely virtual, whereas AR uses a real-world setting.
While AR hasn’t exactly hit the mainstream market, it’s already being used in industries like retail, automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, and education to make the process of learning more interactive, engaging, and accessible.
Benefits of Augmented Reality in Education
Augmented reality can have a lot of benefits in the education sector. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Increased Interactive Learning
Most classrooms these days use passive learning that can leave students dissatisfied since they crave a more interactive and engaging learning experience.
AR changes that by offering opportunities for students to have a more hands-on experience, which helps them actively engage with their learning material. Enhancing engagement with AR can turn abstract, vague concepts into solid experiences.
For example, rather than showing a 2D picture of a human cell on a page, teachers can show a 3D interactive model of a cell, helping students visualize and interact with the models. This will empower the students to become an active participant in their education.
Enhance Knowledge Retention
Studies show that an individual forgets up to 70% of newly learned information in 24 hours.
The use of AR offers a real solution to this problem. Traditional teaching methods often struggle with connecting concepts to real-world experience. Since students visualize ideas through interactive elements, they will form a stronger connection with the topic.
Taking the same example of the human cell from before, you’re more likely to remember the structure of the cell if you interact with it rather than just looking at a labeled picture.
Cost-Effective Solutions
Lab setups and physical materials are not only expensive but also hard to source, especially for a class of 20 students.
Investing in AR equipment can be a much more cost-effective solution since you only have to set up the equipment once, which can be reused for years. Augmented reality equipment is also generally less expensive compared to virtual reality equipment.
It’s not just lab equipment, AR can also potentially replace textbooks, printed materials, and posters by offering a more portable and inexpensive solution, making education more mobile and accessible.
Gamification for Learning
Teachers can incorporate gamified learning techniques to make learning more engaging and motivating for students.
Adding game-like features such as progress-tracking, rewards, streaks, and challenges can encourage healthy competition between students. These gamified learning experiences boost student motivation and the overall enjoyment students get from learning.
This method can also be used for collaboration among students where teachers can set up shared goals that a group of students have to accomplish together.
Real-World Applications of AR in Teaching
There are a lot of scenarios where AR-powered educational apps can be used to provide hands-on learning for students. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Medical and Healthcare Training
Augmented reality has a lot of applications in healthcare training and medicine.
It can be used to provide training to young surgeons for more complex and critical surgeries where their precision is critical. AR can also be used for training in ophthamology cases since the eyes are one of the most sensitive areas in the human body.
Pharma companies can also use augmented reality to get a better understanding of drugs. Students working in the lab can learn to understand how drugs work inside the body with the help of 3D images and get better insights compared to traditional technologies.
Arts and Humanities
Not only is learning with the help of AR a great use in healthcare and medicine, but it is also quite useful in carrying out research in history as well as creating art.
Through AR, educators can show photo-scanned 3D models to students to help them get a better understanding of some of the intricate details that go unnoticed when taking a look at a picture.
Teachers can create tours of historical sites as well as showcase artifacts which would otherwise be impossible to do without the help of AR. Educators can also bring works of literature to life by creating interactive experiences.
Vocational and Skill-Based Training
Augmented Reality for skill-based education can be a great way to allow trainees to interact with their surroundings naturally since there are a variety of educational needs that vary from profession to profession.
The use of AR can be used to train students in trades like automotive repair, carpentry as well as several fields in engineering. It can simulate scenarios in the real world in a safe environment. This can help make learning fun-filled and effortless by creating virtual worlds and encouraging students to explore learning materials deeply.
Challenges in Implementing AR and How to Solve Them
AR implementation has a few challenges. Let’s take a look at some of them and how to potentially solve them:
- High Initial Costs: AR equipment can be expensive to get and set up. However, this is a one-time expense that can bring a lot of overall value to students. Unlike a lot of other lab equipment, AR technology can last longer meaning that there’s more value to money when investing in AR.
- Technical Limitations: AR requires powerful hardware to run, and a lot of internet bandwidth. This can be done through investment in powerful AR devices like the Viture Pro XR Glasses, and a fast and reliable internet connection like the one offered by Xfinity.
- Teacher Training and Familiarity: While implementing AR technology isn’t that difficult of a feat, ensuring teachers can integrate AR into the curriculum can be challenging. Make sure that educators are equipped to integrate AR into their teaching methods as well as create high-quality learning modules that can help students get a grasp of several subjects.
- Accessibility Issues: AR equipment can be expensive and not every student will be able to afford one for use at home. This is why it’s important to create AR systems that work with technology that most students already have access to, like smartphones.
Tips for Educators Adopting Augmented Reality
As an educator looking to adopt augmented reality in your classroom, make sure that you start small, with pilot programs that offer AR education to a small group of students.
After the first successful AR program, start to invest in training for teachers to provide them with professional development for future AR programs. Then, start investing in scalable augmented reality solutions for classrooms and start to develop materials for each course.
To get feedback, make sure to involve the students when testing AR tools and get their feedback. Proper monitoring and evaluation will ensure that you can develop an augmented reality program for students that enhances their learning and improves their knowledge retention.
