AUGMENTED LEARNING
Augmented learning is an on-demand learning technique where the environment adapts
to the learner. By providing remediation on-demand, learners can gain greater
understanding of a topic and stimulate discovery and learning.
Technologies
incorporating touchscreens, voices and interaction have demonstrated the
educational potential that scholars, teachers and students are embracing.
Instead of focusing onmemorization, the
learner experiences an adaptive learning experience based upon the current
context. The augmented content can be dynamically tailored to the learner's
natural environment by displaying text, images, video or even playing audio (music
or speech). This additional information is commonly shown in a pop-up window
for computer-based environments.
Most
implementations of augmented learning are forms of e-learning. In desktop
computing environments, the learner receives supplemental, contextual
information through an on-screen, pop-up window, toolbar or sidebar.
As the user navigates a website, e-mail or document, the learner associates the
supplemental information with the key text selected by a mouse or other input
device. Augmented learning has also been deployed on mobile, touchscreen
devices including tablets.
Augmented
learning is closely related to augmented intelligence and intelligence
amplification. Augmented intelligence applies information processing
capabilities to extend the processing capabilities of the human mind through
distributed cognition. Augmented intelligence provides extra support for
autonomous intelligence and has a long history of success. Mechanical and
electronic devices that function as augmented intelligence range from the abacus,
calculator, personal computers and smart phones. Software with augmented
intelligence provide supplemental information that is related to the context of
the user. When an individual's name appears on the screen, a pop-up window
could display person's organizational affiliation, contact information and most
recent publications.
In mobile
reality systems, the annotation
may appear on the learner's individual "heads-up display" or through
headphones for audio instruction.
What is augmented reality?
In its simplest form, augmented reality is the layering of information over
a real-world environment. To get an idea of what this means, imagine watching a
football game on television. The first down line, the advertisements that hover
over the field, and those drawings the commentators make on replays are all
forms of augmented reality.
One of the most visible entries into the AR scene is Google Glass. The device
used for Google Glass looks just like a pair of eyeglasses. The lenses are
actually tiny screens through which the wearer can see the world as usual, as
well as superimposed data and images, thus completely changing their
experience. The device responds to voice commands and offers numerous options,
such as a browser, video recorder and sharing tools that allow the user to be
connected in a meaningful way.
What augmented reality means for
education
EmergingEdTech illustrated a few of the most anticipated ways Google Glass will likely be
used in education. Text translations in real time could immerse students in a
foreign language, research could be done on the go, and the ease of video and
imaging could make presentations and reports much more dynamic. Students could
even use Google Glass to bolster their portfolios by capturing first-hand
demonstrations of their work.
Some mobile augmented reality apps allow users to simply scan an object with a smartphone or tablet to receive
a host of information about it, delivered in everything from video streaming to
slideshows to audio. Many use GPS technology and image recognition to offer
insight on locations, maps and geographical features. Some work with textbooks
to provide 3D images of the material presented on the page.
A joint chapter report from Harvard and Radford Universities on Augmented Reality Teaching and Learning[PDF]
offers an excellent example of how devices like Google Glass can broaden the
educational spectrum. Imagine a student approaching an oak tree. The device
immediately offers video or slide show information on the habitat the tree is
in and the animals that make a home there. If the tree has been earmarked as
part of an educational initiative, the student could point their device at a
placard near the tree, which would then prompt a 3-D digital view of the tree,
including the inside structure. This hands-on virtual learning could provide
students with a much deeper understanding of the subject, as well as better
retention of the material.
But AR isn't just for helping students learn -- it can also be an excellent
tool for teachers to learn about their students. The Augmented Lecture Feedback System,
developed by scientists at Spain's Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, is a great
example. The system allows teachers to look over their room of students and see
icons above their heads, activated by the student's cell phones, which tell the
teacher whether the students understand the lecture material being taught. This
tool is helpful for teachers who want to adjust their instruction technique on
the fly, and also allows them to pinpoint students who need help but might not
be comfortable with speaking up in class.
The future of augmented reality
Augmented reality is expected to pack such a punch that the market for the
innovative technology has already grown dramatically. A press release from MarketsandMarkets predicts that the virtual reality and AR market will be worth $1.06 billion
by 2018. And that figure doesn't even include mobile-based augmented reality.
Since mobile devices are on the cutting edge of the technology, the worth of
the market could actually be much higher.
As the use of smartphones continues to grow and virtual education becomes
the norm rather than the exception, augmented reality is sure to find a place
in the classroom -- whether it be a brick-and-mortar institution or a digital
classroom that seamlessly blends the physical world with the virtual one.
