Educational institutes, professional trainers, and businesses related to these fields, decided to engage their students effectively through new technologies. There comes Augmented Reality in education. Actually education is one of those fields which adopt Augmented Reality very quickly.
AR has that capability to design boring courses in interesting ways that no one has to force students or learners to take part in those courses. With great technical features AR is also utilized in the job or skill related training. To use the AR technology properly we only need to have proper tools and know how to use the tool.
How AR Is Transforming The Education Industry?
Research shows that by this year’s end 2.4 billion users will use Augmented Reality in their phone. In 2015, 200 million users only used AR in their phone. You can see the significant difference in the number of users. And this is quite impressive. Many people think AR is used in mobile games or social media only. But the expansion of AR in education is noticeable at present.
AR In Professional Training
Many industries like military, aerospace, aviation and others have a huge budget on equipment for training purposes. By using AR technology this budget can be reduced and make the training more efficient and interactive.
Here are some techniques to achieve this:
- You may have known about the concept of MR (virtual + existing reality). So this concept led by AR and by getting this technology astronauts can have a real-world training experience. Also they can test their learning.
- There is a NASA project called Sidekick. That project is testing AR glasses like Microsoft Hololens to use it in crew training. They test it to get the virtual illustration and instructions for them. AR is also used in military training as it is very safe to test their skill.
Hope you have some idea now how effective AR is in training. It would be phenomenal technology to get the expected outcomes from the training.
AR In eLearning Applications
For the pandemic, the work from home or learn from home trend has started all over the world. In the case of students, it’s very difficult to engage them in the learning process. That’s where companies come to build eLearning apps integrated with AR technology.
To let students learn and engage with the topic developers make the apps as those applications fetch the object on the screen and then play in 3D mode. Along with the help of computer graphics it will capture the object and show it in the augmented environment. It means from the real world, AR technology can capture the object and show details about it. If you want you can make your own eLearning AR app with your requirements.
AR Integrated Learning Management System (LMS)
At present, there are many learning management systems available in the market that are integrated with AR. But not every system is useful or effective. When you’ll choose an AR LMS for you or your company or any educational institution, a careful evaluation is needed. You need to analyze the features of the system.
There is a learning management system called Samelane. It has been created with the combination of AR and AI (Artificial Intelligence). It takes training effectively and makes them interactive with its virtual model. The virtual model consists of machines, devices, other elements and a great interface.
Benefits of Augmented Reality in Education and Training
Augmented reality helps companies or educational institutions to take training courses or classes in such a way that helps them tremendously in the learning process. But How does AR help us to develop our skill? Let’s discuss it.
- It aids in knowledge acquisition and removes cognitive obstacles
For having complete understanding about the topic, it would be great if learners visualize it. Understanding the topic is the main priority for a learner and teacher/trainer also. But everyone does not understand the concept. And they don’t have the ability to learn by themselves. To ease these obstacles Augmented Reality is there. By applying AR techniques, trainers or institutes can place the equipment in front of the students or trainees. And they can visualize the topic and understand it properly. This process makes the learning process easy.
- It helps to keep the gained knowledge for a long time
AR techniques bring higher effectiveness in the learning process. Also it helps the students to interact and actively participate in the learning process. As students see the visualization of their topic, they will remember it for a long time. And by using AR in education a learner can test his/her gained knowledge in a competitive way. This way also helps them to remember the subject for longer.
- It is not time consuming and expensive
For AR there is no need for real world simulation such as explanation of the topic, step by step process, machine operation, problems and solutions. Learners can learn or practice in a virtual environment. These features of AR reduce the cost. Also saves the time of everyone involved with this process. This feature makes the learning system more accessible. By utilizing AR, economic profit can be made.
- It creates a safe and personalized learning environment
AR provides a huge opportunity to the employees to create personalized learning environments. They can design their own learning environment according to their needs and style. AR also gives a safe environment to gain knowledge. Employees or learners can test their knowledge and make decisions on a specific topic. They can take the risk regarding that. This affects their learning process positively. Also it will not hamper the company in case of material or reputation.
- Anytime, anywhere access the learning materials
AR has already started to replace the paper textbooks, printed modules. It has been designed in a way that it provides the learning materials in an affordable budget. So that education has become more easy to access which is a very positive sign.
- Extra equipment is not required
To get that privilege, students don’t need to spend so much money. Because it’s not that expensive like VR or MR. Research has shown that 73% of the teen students have their own smartphone. And AR technology is easily available in smartphones.
- Encourage collaboration
AR provides many interesting features that students don’t get bored very easily. It provides many opportunities to learn new things without boredomness. All students are enjoying their lesson and that activates their teamwork capability.
- Faster learning process
Through visualization students can learn the critical topics easily and take less time. For example, in a textbook there are theories written. And if they read from the book it will definitely take more time rather than visualizing the whole process. And it helps them to remember the topic for a long time as well.
- Universally applicable to any level of education and training
Be it in play school or university or any job training, AR can be used everywhere. It doesn’t have the boundary for application.
- It has many uses
AR can make a simulated real world environment. And there learners can apply their knowledge and skills. It will be a safe and controlled environment. The probable use of AR in education and training is unlimited. This can be used in high risk fields to let people test the outcomes such as firefighting, surgery, or military training.
Augmented Reality in Education Examples
For the better understanding here are some examples of AR technology in education:
Mathematics
Teachers can create interactive math content by the help of AR tools. This content will help students to grow their curiosity about the subject. Also help them to achieve their desired result in mathematics. There is an app called Photomath. To use this app, students need to scan their problems from a physical resource. Then students can virtually walk and find the solutions step by step by using the animation. Through visualization AR also helps students to understand the concept clearly. For example, Merge Cube. It’s an app which makes students understand about geometry. It provides an engaging way to learn about it by holding, seeing, or rotating a virtual cube.
Chemistry, Physics and Biology
Teachers can help students to learn chemistry, physics and biology in a more interactive way with AR apps. The graphics will help students to understand scientific queries in an easy way as they can visualize the topics. Students can understand chemistry’s critical topics such as acids. In AR apps they can visualize the structure of molecules and create a new one.
History
Maybe you’ll be surprised to know that using an AR app you can experience history also. There are tools like 360 cities, Timelooper is able to give you the opportunity to virtually visit the historical places you’re studying right now. Also teachers and students have the access through smartphones to know more about the museum, historical places.
Coding
One of the important benefits of AR technology in education is it encourages students to have more interactions in the process of learning. To collaborate with teachers or make new lesson plans, AR is helping students. Web based platform Tynker teaches coding. It also has the feature to create an AR classroom project if anyone wants.
Augmented Reality in Higher Education
Augmented Reality plays a vital role in higher education. It is used in various applications. Professors use it to make the curriculum. By using the AR technology professors assemble the educational material. I’ll talk about how AR can be used in higher education:
Science
Augmented reality technology has a huge impact on science. AR can enrich students’ understanding and interaction with critical scientific concepts. It can create impactful learning experiences in higher education.
AR can be used immersively in laboratory experiments. By applying AR technology students can do experiments virtually and safely. This will be particularly useful in subjects. Additionally, AR provides the opportunity by creating virtual environments that represent real-life scenarios. It will help the students to learn about science by visualizing the topics such as astronomy or geology.
Engineering
AR can grow students’ understanding and engagement with complex engineering concepts. As it is creating an immersive and interactive learning environment.
For example, in a civil engineering class, AR technology could be used to create 3D models of structures, such as bridges. Students can easily interact with this and explore. In mechanical engineering, AR simulations can be used to show complex concepts. Fluid dynamics or thermodynamics will be easy for the process. In electrical engineering, AR can be used to visualize the behavior of circuits.
Also AR can be used for training purposes in various engineering fields. In aviation engineering, AR can be used to simulate real-time scenarios. It helps train pilots or aviation mechanics. AR has the potential to ease the way engineering subjects are taught at universities. AR is making learning more interactive, engaging, and accessible to students.
Math
AR eases the mathematics for students for every stage actually. For example, in a calculus class, AR technology could be used to visualize 3D graphs of functions. It is allowing students to interact with and manipulate the graphs to gain a better understanding. In geometry, AR can be used to create virtual models of geometric shapes.
AR can also be used to supplement traditional classroom teaching. It provides students interactive exercises and quizzes that enrich their understanding of concepts. Additionally, AR can be used to provide students with real-time feedback on their progress. Also allowing them to identify areas where they need to focus their study.
Medicine
AR is transforming the medicine learning process at present. For instance, in anatomy classes, AR technology could be used to create 3D models of organs. It helps students to explore and interact with the models in a more detailed and tangible way. In surgery training, to simulate surgical procedures AR can be used.
AR can also be utilized to supplement traditional laboratory experiments. Additionally, AR can provide students with a unique opportunity to learn about difficult subjects. By creating virtual environments that represent real-life scenarios, students will easily understand.
Augmented Reality Apps for Education
There are many augmented reality (AR) apps available for education. These apps can enhance students’ learning experiences by creating interactive and engaging environments. Here are some examples of AR apps for education:
- Human Anatomy Atlas 2021
It provides the 3D atlas of the human body. It is designed for medical students, healthcare professionals in detail. The app includes a variety of tools. It lets the users explore the human body. It has the features of zoom in and out, rotate and pan the view. Also dissect different anatomical structures to reveal underlying structures.
- Holo-Human
This app is also for medical students or professionals. It allows users to explore and interact with a 3D model of the human body. The app provides information about different anatomical structures, such as bones, muscles, organs, and blood vessels.
- GeoGebra Augmented Reality
GeoGebra Augmented Reality is an educational app. The GeoGebra app is designed for students and teachers from primary school to university. The app has a wide range of mathematical tools and functions. This consists of graphing, geometry, algebra, calculus, and statistics. These can be used to create 2D and 3D models.
- Star Walk
Star Walk is a popular mobile app that allows users to explore the night sky. Using AR technology, Star Walk allows users to point their device at the sky. And they can see an interactive map of the stars and other objects in real-time. Users can move their device around to explore different parts of the sky.
- Touch Surgery
This app provides an interactive platform for medical professionals and students. It is basically to learn about surgical procedures. A key feature of the app is its surgical simulation capabilities. Users can perform virtual surgeries on the app. By using touch-screen controls to manipulate the surgical instruments. And simulate the movements and procedures required in real-life surgery.
- QuiverVision App
QuiverVision is a mobile app that uses AR technology to bring coloring pages to life. Using the app, users can print out coloring pages from the QuiverVision website. Or they can purchase pre-printed pages from a retailer. The app uses the smartphone camera. Here AR technology is used to bring the coloring pages to life. After that, turning them into 3D animated scenes that users can interact with.
Challenges of Augmented Reality in Education
We discussed many benefits and established the process of AR in education. But still there are some challenges we may face to utilize it properly.
- A Lack of Necessary Training
It’s obvious that some of the teachers’ background training or experience have not matched with today’s technological requirements. They might struggle to fit in the process. Teachers or institutions who are open to adapt new technologies are only ready to apply AR technology in education.
- Dependence on Hardware
To apply the AR technology students or trainees need devices such as smartphones, or tabs. But not all of them have the devices supported with AR tools. So it is a challenge to move forward.
- Content Portability Issues
It’s actually necessary for the AR app to perform equally in every platform and device to reach out to every student. But it’s almost impossible at present to deliver the same content on every platform.
Final Thoughts
AR has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach education and training. By enhancing the learning experience and making it more interactive and engaging, AR technology can help students better understand complex concepts. Also retain information more effectively. AR can also be used to provide immersive training experiences. The integration of AR in education and training represents a promising future for both learners and educators.