Technology in schools is at its best when it extends, enhances and engages student learning beyond traditional classroom lessons, virtual field trips are a great example of this. They give students an opportunity to explore a variety of amazing environments that they may never have the chance to visit in person. In this post, I'll share a couple of ways to get started with augmented and virtual reality in the classroom.
One of the best ways to get started with virtual reality is Google Expeditions.
Google Expeditions is a unique classroom experience lets teachers take their students on guided virtual field trips. There are over 700 Expeditions available for schools and more are being added all the time. Everything from the Great Barrier Reef, to Buckingham Palace, and even outer space are available as destinations for your students. Each Expedition is a 360-degree experience that lets students explore some incredible locations while being guided by a teacher who highlights important features on the tour and asks probing questions to help students think more about the environment they are in.
Noblesville Schools currently has a virtual reality cart available for checkout. To get started and checkout the cart, visit the Canvas course we created to help support teachers with VR.
Augmented Reality (AR) allows teachers and students to extend the physical world with a virtual overlay. Whether you have iPad, Android, or a smartphone, scanning a trigger in the physical world with an AR app allows a new layer of information to appear. This information could be a link to a web site, a video, an audio recording, or even a 3D model.
The two most popular tools for creating Augmented Reality, Layar and Aurasma, work with both iOS and Android devices. Using either of these tools, you and your students can create Augmented Reality experiences to extend and enhance the learning context, but how do you know where to begin?
Aurasma
Viewing content - Free iOS/Android App
Creating AR content - Create from within the app or online via Aurasma Studio.
Types of AR Content - Once a trigger image has been scanned by a device, the Aura (Aurasma’s term) could be an image or video, as well as an interactive “click-through” – make a phone call, add an event to calendars, send a text message, compose an email, etc.
Layar
Viewing content - Free iOS/Android App
Creating AR content - Use the web-based Layar Creator.
Types of AR Content - Once a trigger image has been scanned, you can include a number of items to tap: YouTube videos, Flickr images, web links, other images, 3D models, audio recordings, etc.
Lesson Ideas:
One of the best ways to get started with virtual reality is Google Expeditions.
Google Expeditions is a unique classroom experience lets teachers take their students on guided virtual field trips. There are over 700 Expeditions available for schools and more are being added all the time. Everything from the Great Barrier Reef, to Buckingham Palace, and even outer space are available as destinations for your students. Each Expedition is a 360-degree experience that lets students explore some incredible locations while being guided by a teacher who highlights important features on the tour and asks probing questions to help students think more about the environment they are in.
Noblesville Schools currently has a virtual reality cart available for checkout. To get started and checkout the cart, visit the Canvas course we created to help support teachers with VR.
Augmented Reality (AR) allows teachers and students to extend the physical world with a virtual overlay. Whether you have iPad, Android, or a smartphone, scanning a trigger in the physical world with an AR app allows a new layer of information to appear. This information could be a link to a web site, a video, an audio recording, or even a 3D model.
Aurasma
Viewing content - Free iOS/Android App
Creating AR content - Create from within the app or online via Aurasma Studio.
Types of AR Content - Once a trigger image has been scanned by a device, the Aura (Aurasma’s term) could be an image or video, as well as an interactive “click-through” – make a phone call, add an event to calendars, send a text message, compose an email, etc.
Layar
Viewing content - Free iOS/Android App
Creating AR content - Use the web-based Layar Creator.
Types of AR Content - Once a trigger image has been scanned, you can include a number of items to tap: YouTube videos, Flickr images, web links, other images, 3D models, audio recordings, etc.
Lesson Ideas:
- Use Aurasma to explain artwork
- Create interactive advertisements with Aurasma
- History review flashcards
- Educational scavenger hunts
- Interactive bulletin boards
- Interactive book trailers
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