Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality Resources
Updated November 2019
Simply said augmented reality adds something to your environment, virtual reality is visiting another environment.
In order to embrace and push forward with new technology we must first understand the, benefits, the need for it, and the basics of stepping into a new world. This group of curated resources is intended to provide a high level overview of AR/VR as well as provide some resources for interested instructors to begin to tap into this new technology.
Why AR/VR? Seeing is believing
The resources below provide an overview of the benefits of AR/VR. Many of the sites focus on business or health applications of the technology however keeping in mind that as instructors we are educating those that hold the future in their hands it is critical to truly see and understand the direction they are going as this is the environment our students will one day be working in.
Redefining what is humanly possible with augmented reality
In this short video Brian Mullins suggests that what we are taught impacts what we think is possible, he asks us to question the validity behind what holds us back. He asks us to question how we overcome things ingrained in our minds to allow for innovation and spur advancement of new powerful tools. He asks us to open the door to the new potential solutions technology like augmented reality can place in our hands as a bridge between the physical world and abstract ideas.
Flying High with Educational VR
While volunteering at the Colorado Learning and Teaching with Technology (COLTT) conference this past August I attended Major John McPhilamy’s presentation on the benefits of the use of VR in education. His example is based on a high cost, high return on investment solution, however it showcases one of the benefits of VR in learning environments and highlights solutions we are just beginning to see. This article provides a succinct summary of the presentation and a look into one of the benefits of its use in education.
AR/VR’s power in teaching
The resources below point to an awareness of how issues with VR can point to reading difficulties, it’s power of AR/VR to increase transfer to long-term memory, and its ability to teach the twenty-first century skills employers are looking for.
What VR and 3D can teach us about reading
Fourteen percent of the population will struggle with AR/VR on some level. This interview explains how issues with Focus, Tracking, and Teaming affect not only viewing 3D and VR but also struggles with both learning to read and reading through out the learner’s lifetime.
Virtual and augmented reality effects on K-12, higher and tertiary education students’ twenty-first century skills
A look at the benefits of the use of AR/VR in teaching twenty-first century skills despite the barriers to adoption.
Virtual memory palaces: immersion aids recall
A look at how virtual memory palaces and presence through immersion assists in superior recall of information when compared to the traditional desktop environment.
Constructionist Gaming: Understanding the Benefits of Making Games for Learning
This article points to an understanding of how the environments students are asked to interact with provides a deeper connection with the tools used and the world we live in. This article highlights twenty-first century skills are developed as students are asked to create games and connect with the virtual world.
AR/VR: What To & How To
In this section you will find some options to check out for easy ways to apply the technology in your curriculum. Some of the applications are suitable for instructor use however many of them could be incorporated as student programming opportunities in conjunction with assignments as well.
The Technology’s Wizard’s Top 10 to Using VR in the Classroom
This pamphlet provides tips and QR codes to the top 10 best practices to learning and the use of VR in the classroom
Augmented Reality in the Classroom – 8 fun AR Apps
This is a BookWidgets EdTech presentation of 8 tools that are easy for instructors or students to use. The website lists the tools with links to the sites for easy navigation to more information on each site. For more information on Metaverse check out my overview and curated learning tools on the Happy Appers website.
HP Reveal & Power Point
PowerPoint Spice shows how HP Reveal is used to make an image scannable, then dictate what will happen when the image is scanned with a smart phone or tablet. For example when scanned a picture on a desk comes to life, a plant grows, the learner is routed to another website, sees an extra explanation of content, or views a movie.
ARIS – An augmented reality, virtual storytelling interface with GPS capability
An augmented reality, open-source platform for creating location based games, interactive stories, tours & data collection activities for iOS devices. For examples, details, and other links see ARIS on the Happy Appers webpage.
Resources
ARIS. (n.d.). Retrieved November 17, 2019, from https://fielddaylab.org/make/aris/.
BookWidgits. (2019, May 21). Redefining what is humanly possible with augmented reality. Retrieved November 08, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MArFzB6UM7o.
Kafai, Y.B., & Burke, Q. (2015). Constructionist gaming: Understanding the benefits of making games for learning. Educational Psychologist, 50(4), 313-334. doi:10.1080/00462520.2015.1124022.
Krokos, E., Plaisant, C., & Varshney, A. (2019). Virtual memory palaces: Immersion aids recall. Virtual Reality, 23(1), 1-15, doi:10.1007/s10055-018-0346-3.
Mullins, B. (2018, January 3). Redefining what is humanly possible with augmented reality. Retrieved November 10, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6_IZ8e9KuE.
Papanastasiou, G., Drigas, A., Skianis, C., Lytras, M., & Papanastasiou, E., (2019). Virtual and augmented reality effects on K-12, higher and tertiary education students’ twenty-first century skills. Virtual Reality. 23(4), 425-436. Doi:10.1007/s10055-018-0363-2.
Power Point Spice. (2019, April 24). Make your Own Augmented Reality – with PowerPoint and HP Reveal (Formerly Aurasma)). Retrieved November 13, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEVKtPEcgQg.
Scrogan, L. (2019, September 30). Flying High with Educational VR . Retrieved October 1, 2019, from http://www.displaydaily.com/.
Scrogan, L. (n.d.). VR Top 10
Stushnoff, S. (2019, November 18). Curation VR with Len Scrogan. Retrieved from https://studio88design.online/curation-vr-with-len-scrogan/.