The world around us is changing with each passing day, and rapid advancements in technology continue to yield innovative solutions to help make our life easier. As the world evolves, educators around the world are also seeking new, exciting ways to make education more fun, interactive, and engaging. Adopting immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) in the classroom offers just that.
Like many, you may associate AR with gaming and entertainment applications like Pokémon Go or Snapchat. However, the potential of augmented reality is not limited to the realms of entertainment, AR is making contributions in diverse sectors, including education. In fact, a recent study predicts the global market for AR in education, which stood at $1.5 billion in 2020, will reach up to $85 billion in 2031, accelerating at a super-colossal compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 80%. It also predicts the demand for AR content in K-12 education will grow at a CAGR of 75% over the next decade.
An AR-based classroom offers several advantages over a conventional classroom setup. Continue reading to learn the steps involved in building an augmented reality classroom.
3 Primary Steps in Building an Augmented Reality Classroom
Step-1: Analyze if You Need Augmented Reality in the Classroom
The first step is to figure out whether you need AR in your school. If you decide you need AR, then convince the board and stakeholders to provide funding for the project.
Not convinced augmented reality can enhance the learning experience. Here are some compelling reasons to adopt AR in classrooms.
- AR acts as a visual aid for learning, enhancing the learning experience through 3D graphical elements.
- Augmented reality in classrooms significantly improves student engagement levels.
- AR bridges the gap between practice and theory.
- Teaching complex concepts become easier with interactive AR elements.
- Better teacher-student collaboration.
- Cost-effective in the longer run.
- AR does not require any special hardware equipment.
The above-stated benefits are just the tip of the iceberg; AR in education offers immense benefits and has the potential to transform the way we learn and teach.
Step-2: Decide Your Augmented Reality Platform
Decide what works for you: to create AR content or consume AR content. Going for pre-designed augmented reality content can be a good choice, especially if you are new to the EdTech scene. It will provide a glimpse of the potential offered by educational AR content and it is easy to use via a mobile app.
If you want the best of both worlds: curated AR content and the tools to create your own AR content, you can choose our platform - XR Guru. We have an extensive content library and curated immersive content that meets curriculum standards and STEM guidelines.
Do you want to create your own AR content but are hesitate to do so because you do not know to code?
With the XR Guru Authoring Tool you can create unique AR content with no coding experience required. Once created, you can share your content with your audience or our global user network.
Step-3: Train Your Staff & Look into Use Cases
Now that you have selected an AR platform, the next important step is to train teachers on using augmented reality in the classroom. Not all teachers are tech-savvy, so it may take some time for them to become comfortable with this new teaching technique. Train your teachers with interactive demos and videos, teach them how to troubleshoot technical glitches.
Training is over; what's next, you ask?
Look into some use cases of augmented reality in classrooms and come up with ideas to incorporate AR content and activities in your curriculum. Here are some exciting ways augmented reality is already providing benefits in classrooms:
· Teaching Human Anatomy: Anatomy is one of the more challenging subjects. However, with AR, learning anatomy becomes easier. The interactive visual models and 3D projections help students visualize and better understand the subject.
· History and Arts: Learning history does not have to be boring. Applications like Google Arts & Culture make history classes fun with interactive 3D objects. It has a wide range of AR content for you to explore and some games where students can learn by playing.
· Medical Training: Healthcare training is filled with risk; one wrong move can severely harm an individual. AR in education offers a safe environment for medical students to train without fear of causing harm to a real-life patient.
Concluding Thoughts
Well, there you have it, the three primary steps in setting up an augmented reality classroom. We hope this helps you in integrating AR in the classroom.
Given, virtually everyone has a smartphone, and the cost of AR development continues to drop, AR will continue to evolve into a cost-effective, accessible, and indispensable technology in education. It stimulates students' curiosity and inspires them to develop better solutions for a brighter future. So, are you ready to join the AR 'game' to deliver a better learning experience?
Does an augmented reality classroom interest you? XR Guru is a platform that brings learning to life through immersive experiences. It is a next-gen educational application that brings learning, content creation, and distribution together in one package. Choose immersive learning, choose XR Guru!
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