Page 16 - THE Journal, March/April 2018

FEATURE | AR&VR
16
| MARCH/APRIL 2018
“Augmented and virtual reality are transformational technologies that can change existing pedagogies for the better,” said Ben Fineman, program manager for cloud collaborative services at Internet2, an advanced technology consortium of universities and research organizations. Pictured in action: Letters Alive from Alive Studios.
“I can be skeptical when it comes
to using technology in the classroom.
I think young children have too much screen time as it is,” Cupit said. “But with this technology, the students are really learning from it. And it’s engaging. Kids are excited about it.”
Poised for an Impact
Augmented and virtual reality have been touted as emerging learning tools for years. Now, their promise is finally being realized in thousands of classrooms worldwide.
“Augmented and virtual reality are transformational technologies that can change existing pedagogies for the better,” said Ben Fineman, program manager for cloud collaborative services at Internet2, an advanced technology consortium of universities and research organizations.
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology
that layers computer-generated enhance- ments on top of existing reality. Virtual reality (VR) is a fully immersive experi- ence in a computer-generated environment.
For a long time, the hype surrounding these technologies outpaced their usefulness in the classroom. But now they are poised to make a real impact on teaching and learning, Fineman said, as hardware costs have come down and new applications have emerged that put AR and VR within reach of most schools.
VR headsets range from about $400 for the Oculus Rift to just $10 for Google Cardboard, though schools will need smartphones to use with the Google Cardboard viewers. Virtual field trips are among the most promising applications of the technology, Fineman said, allowing students to experience places that would be impractical, unsafe or impossible to visit in the real world.
For instance, students can visit a wide range of physical locations around the world using Google Expeditions. They can take a tour of the solar system with apps such as Titans of Space. And students in construc- tion trade programs can virtually tour a con- struction site to learn about safety violations without being exposed to danger.
Linking the Physical and Digital Worlds
Interest in AR and VR among educators is growing. At the Texas Computer Education Association annual conference in February, more than a dozen sessions focused on practical applications of the technology for learning.
April Britton, an art and enrichment teacher at Atlanta Elementary School in Texas, was among the scheduled present- ers. Britton’s students all have iPad Minis,