Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality

What is Augmented Reality? Where Can I Get More Information?

• How Stuff Works
•  "Augmented reality adds graphics, sounds, haptic feedback and smell to the natural world as it exists." 
•  Augmented Reality Brings New Dimensions to Learning by Todd Nesloney
• Two Guys and Some Ipads

Activity Ideas (Compiled from Todd Nesloney and Two Guys and Some Ipads):

• Homework Mini-Lessons: When students scan a page of their homework, the page reveals a video of their teacher helping them solve a problem.
• Faculty Photo Wall: Set up a display of faculty photos near the school entrance. Visitors can scan the image of any instructor and see that figure come to life, telling more about him- or herself.
• Book Reviews: Students record themselves giving a brief review of a novel that they just finished, and then attach that "aura" (assigned digital information) to a book. Afterward, anyone can scan the cover of the book and instantly access the review.
• Parent Involvement: Record parents giving brief words of encouragement to their child, and attach a trigger image to every child's desk. Anytime students need to hear encouraging words from their parent, they can scan the image on their desk for virtual inspiration.
• Yearbooks: From tributes to video profiles, from sports highlights to skits and concert footage, the ways that AR can enhance a school yearbook are limitless.
• Word Walls: Students can record themselves providing the definitions to different vocabulary words on a word wall. Afterward, anyone can use the Aurasma app to make a peer pop up on screen, telling them the definition and using the word in a sentence.
• Lab Safety: Put triggers (images that activate media when scanned by an AR-enabled device) all around a science laboratory so that when students scan them, they can quickly learn the different safety procedures and protocols for the lab equipment.
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Sign Language Flashcards: With AR, flashcards of vocabulary words can contain a video overlay that shows how to sign a word or phrase.
• PTA Support/Recruiting: A special yearly message from the PTA president about ways to get involved or the PTAs mission could be posted near the main office. Parents that were touring or interested in making the volunteering connection could reference the greeting via the A.R. trigger and put a face to the name. 
• Rubrics:  Teachers can embed rubrics for assignments or cooperative groups to reference anytime and from anywhere using A.R. Just create the trigger using an image of a syllabus, Moodle page, assignment sheet or writing prompt; anything the students will have access to while working!
• Learning Targets:  Learning targets could be embedded within assignments/projects in a similar manner to the rubric concept above.
• Exit Slips/Tickets:  You could add a trigger to exit slips that contains a work sample (exemplar) or link other content for students to reference like a lesson's learning target(s). This would be a powerful tool to enhance teacher clarity and/or demonstrate high expectations for student reflection.
• Post photographs of past students or district administrators that are each linked to an encouraging message from that person...what a neat and meaningful way to welcome teachers back to school in the fall!
• Words of Encouragement: This idea could be used for I Love to Read Month or any other special occasion/theme. Post clues that point to specific staff members (i.e. favorite children's book, grade-level, hobbies, etc.) and use A.R. to create triggers that eventually provide the "answers" to the trivia. (You could give all students the chance to solve the riddles prior to posting the A.R. answers.)
• Mystery Reader or Staff Members:  We hang pictures of our students of the month; kids that are recognized for creativity, innovation or effort. A.R. could be used to link a work sample or short acceptance speech from each student.
• Student of the Month Showcase:  Before conferences students could create A.R. triggers and place the auras on their desks (name plates). The messages/video from kids could share important questions that kids think their parents should ask their teacher. 
• Parent Teacher Conferences (Before & After):  After conferences parents could record a message for their children in a similar manner. (It will be important to get a few trusted teachers or the principal to record a special greeting for any student that's parents were unable to attend conferences.)
• Living Art Gallery:  Students create an art project in the style of a famous artist or genre. The project contains a video overlay of the student explaining their piece. 
• Yearbook!: Record short clips of school assemblies or special events and link them to triggers in the yearbook. Special messages from staff could also be integrated into the yearbook as Auras.
• Mathematics:  They say numbers can lie, and that any data could be manipulated to represent something different....allow students the chance to actually create Auras that show this. A data set could be provided to the class, and cooperative groups could work to create different graphs that attempt to represent the data in different (and skewed) ways. Everyone in the class could see the same data, but using A.R. would provide glimpses into how differently the data can be represented/graphed! (Personally...I LOVE THIS IDEA.) :)
• Staff Meeting Agendas:  Embed an agenda trigger into the snacks placed on each table so no more copy costs, and everyone can access the agenda.
• Staff Meeting Agendas II:  Print off meeting agendas and add A.R. triggers to show faculty learning targets or bios/info about guest speakers/presenters. 
• Postcards:  If your school sends home positive postcards you could embed a greeting to students on the postcard image. 
• Synonym/Antonym Hunts:  Provide students flashcards or text from a story selection and challenge them to capture Auras/to link to the cards or books (synonyms, antonyms, etc.). The same concept could be applied to creating a class story that's more interactive because of Auras embedded in the story.
• Visible Thinking Routine: “Circle of Viewpoints”:  Each poster has 3 different pictures on a page. Each picture is of a different character. The students will create a video overlay on each picture with characters coming to life and sharing their perspective. 
• Visible Thinking Routine: “Step Inside”:   The students write from the point of view of a character or person. In the past, students have constructed posters with their writing, and a drawing of the character. This year the students used Aurasma to act out and actually “step inside” the characters shoes. Each video was used as an overlay and their poster acted as the trigger image.
• School Tours:  Students create video overlays to explain various areas of the school. (ex: School Garden, Play ground rules, Fine Arts wing, Main office, cafeteria, etc)
• Boost Creativity in Writing:  Unleash students' imagination and interactivity/collaboration using AR....students or cooperative groups could compose a story and let the reader choose between alternate endings. This reminds me of how Hollywood will often film different endings to films to keep the storyline spoilers guessing! 
• Scavenger Hunts:  Scavenger hunts around your classroom, school, or even community.
• Community Events and Special Features:  Create posters or billboards to promote exciting upcoming events and features. Have each section of the poster come to life with specific information about a school, event, sports recaps, highlights, etc. 
• Center based directions:  If Students forget the task they can put it over a target in the center. Great for emergent readers that are not yet ready to read directions.The directions in the center will help eliminate disruptions and redirecting. 
• Helping older autistic children master increased independence from their parents:  She uses the office speaker phone for a demo: Point the iPad at the phone. Record a short video explaining how the device is used. Name the demo. Then snap a photo of the phone for the image-recognition software to recognize. Now for the fun part: As the child walks around the house, pointing the tablet briefly at an item, the corresponding video tutorial magically pops up.
• Open House Classroom Tours:  Place a target or trigger at each center or area of the classroom. The overlay will show parents a video of students playing or performing tasks 
• ColAR App on iOS:  AR Coloring sheets that come to life! Print, color, and use your device with the ColAR app to bring the augmented reality version of your picture to life! Have the students use these sheets to create their own stories. Give the students a choice to pick one of the 10 different coloring pages from the app ColAR Mix, and use the image on the page as a prompt to write a creative story. 
• Using VOKI as an overlay:  Some students are not allowed to have a visual presence online per parent request. Create a VOKI using voki.com, it’s an avatar site and you can attach a voice recording or text to voice to make the avatar talk. Since VOKI does not let you download your creation I used Camtasia to screen record my voki so I could upload it.
• Interactive Word Wall:  Make your word wall come to life using augmented reality. Have student created overlay on each word. The overlay can include definition, syllables, and correct pronunciation of each word.
• Hole in Time:  This project challenges students to discover history through the lens of photos taken by journalists over the years. Students will create original photos featuring 'location-matched' photos from the location’s history. The effect being a hole in time giving a present day 'peek' into the location’s storied past. This could be used in a community scavenger hunt, or special project. Take a new picture of the location and have the old photo be the overlay. For amazing examples from Frank Gettler’s CUE Rock Star session, search the #holeintime on twitter. 
• Interactive Word Problems (Math):  You can post word problems (of the week, a wall, etc.) in the classroom and have groups of students create a device-specific aura on the way that they came up with answers. They can demonstrate their understanding in video format with manipulatives, pencil-paper, or whatever they need to solve the problem! Then, they can pair-share with another group to see different methods to solve the problem.
• Meet the Class!:  Have each student create an “About Me” profile that includes their photo and/or a self-portrait in the first week of school. Overlay a video of the student telling fun facts about themselves, and you have an interactive display of student personalities for parents, students, and other staff members to “meet” on Meet the Teacher night! 
• Augmented Puzzles for Curriculum Night:  Give each student a blank puzzle to create a picture that explains something they enjoy. Use Aurasma to overlay a video of the student saying hi to their parents and say something they are excited about for the school year. During curriculum night the parents will complete the puzzle and use Aurasma to view the Aura.

Common Applications: 

1.  Aurasma
2.  DAQRI
3. Autonomy
4.  Word Lens
• “Word Lens” is a simple-to-use augmented reality app that allows users to quickly identify and translate foreign language text using a smartphone camera.
5. Explain Everything