Augmented Reality For Education

Reimagining our future engagement with learners through an augmented reality (AR) lens offers a range of possibilities, on a continuum from rigid materials, created with generic learning outcomes, to learner-centred, personalised and emancipatory practice. Educational paradigms are shifting to include alternatives to physical classrooms and the controlled virtual learning spaces that support traditional content delivery. Augmented reality is part of a broader mixed reality where varying degrees of virtual enhancement to the real world can be integrated into traditional delivery practice but also allow learning spaces to be explored more imaginatively and collaboratively. For educators, there are significant challenges to utilise the potential of technology to meet the increasing demands of students, institutions, industry and the expectations of society. By carefully scaffolding educators into reframing their curricula to encourage, inspire and motivate a diverse student body, technology can act as a mediator – a proxy for what Vygotsky termed the ‘more capable peer’ (Cook 2010). AR applications in education, training, marketing, medicine and other industries demonstrate both the capability of the technology and the need for designers to be aware of the possibilities. Karakus et al (2019), in their bibliometric study of augmented reality in education, identify the work by Wu et al (2013) as the most influential across the sector. This paper suggests that AR not only bridges virtual and real worlds but alsocreates an enhanced reality through a creative process. They argue that the educational values of AR are not solely based on the use of technologies but are closely related to how AR is designed, implemented and integrated into formal and informal learning settings. The recent McKinsey report (Bughin et al, 2018) modelled skills shifts in automation and artificial intelligence going forward to 2020 and found a sharp acceleration in demand for these technologies that will transform the workplace, as humans work with ever smarter machines. Transferring technology for educational use, re-use and re-purpose are key emergent themes in research as employers demand ever more technology enabled graduates, with high-level cognitive skills

Evaluation of child-friendly augmented reality tool for patient-centered education in radiology and bone reconstruction

The use of augmented reality (AR) has a rich history and is used in a number of fields. Its application in healthcare and anatomy education is developing considerable interest. However, although its popularity is on the rise, its use as an educational and practical tool has not been sufficiently evaluated, especially with children. Therefore, this study presents the design, development and evaluation of an educational tablet-based application with AR functionality for children. A distal radius fracture was chosen, as it is one of the more common fractures in the younger age group. Following a standardized software engineering methodology, we identified functional and non-functional requirements, creating a child-friendly tablet based AR application. This used industry standard software and incorporated three-dimensional models of a buckle fracture, object and image target marker recognition, interactivity and educational elements. In addition, we surveyed children at the Glasgow Science Centre on its usability, design and educational effectiveness. Seventy-one children completed a questionnaire (25 also underwent a short structured interview). Overall, the feedback was positive relating to entertainment value, graphic design, usability and educational scope of the application. Notably, it was shown to increase user understanding of radiology across all age groups following a trial of the application. This study shows the great potential of using digital technologies, and more particularly augmented information, in engaging future generations in science from a young age. Creation of educational materials using digital technologies, and evaluating its effectiveness, highlights the great scope novel technology could have in anatomical education and training

Phenomenology, Pokémon Go, and Other Augmented Reality Games

The aim of this paper is to analyse the effects on the everyday world of actual Augmented Reality games which introduce digital objects in our surroundings from a phenomenological point of view. Augmented Reality is a new technology aiming to merge digital and real objects, and it is becoming pervasively used thanks to the application for mobile devices Pokémon Go by Niantic. We will study this game and other similar applications to shed light on their possible effects on our lives and on our everyday world from a phenomenological perspective. In the first part, we will show how these digital objects are visualised as merged in the surroundings. We will point out that even if they are visualised as part of the everyday world, they are not part of it because they are still related to the fictional world generated by the game. In the second part, we will show how the existence of these objects in their fictional world has effects on the everyday world where everybody lives. The goal of Augmented Reality is not reached yet because these objects are not part of the everyday world, but it already makes our lives embedded with digital elements. We will show if these new objects have effects on our world and on how we live our lives