Those of you who know me, know I love Augmented Reality (AR). Use your own and your learners' mobile devices as learning tools, with AR applications. Once you have investigated and vetted the AR app get your learners to download the selected AR app related to the topic or content you are teaching. Use the AR apps to build their content knowledge and to explore different contexts of topics being studied.
Always test and explore the app before getting your learners to use it.
Learners are actively involved when using AR. Experimenting, playing and learning. These are just a few of the AR apps I use and see value in for teaching. Prepare questions to ask and discuss with the learners when they have completed the AR task. Encourage them to think critically and analyse the information they encountered.
There are a wide variety of AR apps for all age-groups of learners. Let's explore a few AR apps.
Maths
Geogebra AR is an app every maths teacher should introduce their learners to.
GeoGebra AR can create 3D graphs and objects in the real world.
Learners can solve geometry problems, and see the results visually.
Exploring the beauty of maths.
The learners can walk around these AR 3D shapes, manipulate them by changing the maths statements, and view them from different perspectives.
This is one of my favourite AR apps.
Also investigate GeoGebra 3D with AR (Google): Explorations & Lesson Ideas.
Maths teachers can use this resource by Tim Brzezinski to investigate and use GeoGebra Augmented Reality to create learner-centred, exploratory and dynamic Maths learning environments.
AR Math - Learners learn Maths by selecting addition, subtraction or multiplication. They then solve the sums in AR on their device. (Division is paid for).
Maths operation questions pop up and learners need to answer them correctly to move on.
Language, Words and Letters
Catchy Words AR Learners play the game, find the letters and place them in the correct spaces.
Building words with the letters.
Kids Education AR A range of AR resources to learn letters, numbers and counting, as well as colours. Learners open the AR apps, and move around completing the task.
Science, Geography and so much more
WWF - Free Rivers This is a wonderful interactive World Wildlife Fund AR app for all age groups. It teaches about the impact of dams on the environment, explores alternative options and even goes into the life around and in rivers. This app would be useful in a range of subjects when teaching about the environment in Life Skills, dams and rivers in Geography and Social Sciences, technology's impact on the environment when teaching Technology Education, and our natural environment and life around rivers in Natural Sciences and Biology. I think this App is also one of my favourites.
App Store - WWF - Free Rivers app Here is a demonstration of the initial part of the WWF-Free Rivers App.
Chromville Science Lab. Chromville has been creating AR educational apps for years. The image at the beginning of this blog is a learner augmenting his Chromville picture which he had coloured in. The excitement on the learners faces was wonderful to see. In the science lab learners can explore experiments coming to life. For example after colouring in the strawberry plant, when using the AR, if the plant is cared for correctly it grows. There are a range of printable resources to use. There is a free version and a paid for version both as an individual (for example a parent or home-schooling) or a school bulk version for multiple devices. I find this app, where learners complete written tasks and then are able to augment their own work, really effective as a learning tool.
The Brain AR. This app has also been around for a while, teaching learners about the brain and exploring the structures of the brain. The app allows learners to investigate the layers of the head from skin, muscle and skull down to the inner areas of the brain.
The link to "The Brain AR" marker and to additional information.
Google Arts and Culture App.- Augmented Reality. Within the Google Arts and Culture App, there is a section about AR. From Living creatures, to space, art work and historical items, explore various insects and other animals. Below is a picture of a crab in AR, and an example of the artwork. The content includes the AR images, as well as information about the resource.
There is a separate Google Arts and Culture - Big Bang AR App on the Google Play Store and in the Apple App Store.
These AR apps are just the tip of the iceberg of all the types of AR resources from many organisations. Hop into the Play Store and the App Store, search AR and find resources to suit the topic you are teaching, to engage your learners. My recommendation to you, as the teacher is PLAY and have FUN exploring AR resources, adding another dimension to your lessons.
I also offer AR professional development courses, exploring AR and pedagogy namely 1) Using AR in the Foundation Phase and 2) AR and Simulations in Lessons (Intermediate Phase and Senior Phase Teachers). These courses are SACE endorsed. Contact me if you would like me to conduct the course for your teachers.
I look forward to engaging with you. Enjoy teaching!
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