One of the areas of most interest for me has to be the application of AR (augmented reality) to education. Unlike virtual reality (which requires and entirely digitally created environment) AR enhances the real world by adding an overlay of information to reality. Google Glass is perhaps the most well known example of an AR application, but Oakley created a similar product for skiers in 2012 and many car manufacturers are attempting to redefine dashboards in vehicles using AR applications.
With the sheer volume of mobile devices, app developers are taking advantage of built-in GPS and compasses to create applications that can interpret the needs of the user and provide suggestions about surroundings. Apps like YapQ can determine a users location and will narrate Wikipedia articles about historical landmarks that are nearby. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (http://naturalhistory.si.edu) has developed an AR app that acts as a personal guide. As a visitor wanders through the gallery, sensors within the gallery trigger the application which in turn provides the visitor with information curated by the museum and other guests.
AR makes learning a personal experience – one that is determined by the learner. As education in the 21st century moves to being focused on the individual, AR is an exciting avenue for educators to explore when creating interactive lessons for students. Using apps like Aurasma (https://www.aurasma.com), teachers can embed content in to images within student worksheets. When students scan an ‘Aura’ the digital content created by there teacher is opened and presented to the student on their mobile device. For example, in a lesson on three dimensional forms a student might scan over a net for a cylinder and on his phone or tablet a fully formed cylinder may appear. This reinforces the learning for the student, making visible what was once difficult, if not impossible to see.