Alice thought she would fail the “Archeological Digs for Kids” assignment but got an A+  with excellent remarks. What worked out in her favor? Well, it was a combination of her innovative thinking and the use of Augmented Reality in education or AR Tools to study ancient artifacts at the last moment.

Augmented Reality for Education

The educational landscape has been evolving like never before, and technology continues to play an increasingly integral role. Today, educators and Learning content creators are vigorously exploring innovative tools to enhance learning with the rise of online learning platforms. This has also been necessitated due to the need for engaging interactive educational experiences. In this regard, Augmented Reality (AR) based learning tools have come to the rescue, boosting NextGen Online Education. 

AR in Education Market: An Outlook

As per industry trends and analysis, an outlook for the next decade shows that the global augmented reality in education market is set to rise at a whopping CAGR of 32% and can touch a valuation of US$ 55.84 billion by 2033, rising from US$ 3.47 billion in 2023.

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality (AR) is a fast-evolving technology that enhances users’ perception and interaction with their environment. AR superimposes digital information and virtual objects into the real world. It shouldn’t be confused with the similar term Virtual Reality (VR) because, in VR, users are immersed in a wholly digital environment. In contrast, AR supplements the real world with virtual elements. This unique capability of blending virtual and real-world experiences makes AR particularly compelling for educational purposes.

How Online School Uses Augmented Reality in Education

Due to their technological leanings, online education and digital learning tools have a natural affinity with Augmented Reality (AR). Therefore, incorporating AR tools and platforms by online schools has further enhanced the digital learning experience for school-going children. Augmented reality schools are leveraging AR tools to create the most engaging and immersive learning content, giving students a different experience and opportunities that traditional schools cannot offer. Some of the ways online schools use Augmented Reality in education are:

1. Virtual Labs with Simulations: Imagine your kids performing animal dissection virtually and learning about cellular structures and processes using 3D models. All these are made possible by online schools where students conduct practicals without contacting a live/dead specimen or enduring pungent smells of formaldehyde or ammonia in physical labs. Consider the magnitude of cost-saving because there is no need for elaborate lab set-up, maintenance, and logistics. 
2. Interactive Textbooks: How about your kids are asked to avoid carrying enormous loads of physical textbooks and notebooks tomorrow? Sounds great, doesn’t it? That’s AR for education in simple terms. This is possible today with online schools leveraging AR-powered textbooks. Further, interactive textbooks can become game-changers in the learning process in coming times due to interest generation, conceptual clarity, and engaging content.
3. Virtual Field Trips: Gone will be the days when buses full of students are to be taken to faraway destinations as the only way to educate them about historical and contemporary facts, things, and processes. Online schools can take your kids to museums, natural parks, historical sites, and fun-filled yet educational experiences virtually worldwide with help from AR tools. 
4. Collaborative & Personalized Learning: While online Schools offer personalized learning methods, for instance, one-to-one live classes, AR tools are making collaborative learning in virtual settings like never before. Many students undertake a project or assignment work and do their parts in virtual shared spaces through AR platforms. 
5. Skill Development: Online schools are offering learning programs and skill development for various real-world problems through hands-on training using AR tools. Students can visualize 3D models, understand and develop spatial awareness, and design skills using AR apps and tools. 

Benefits of AR in Education

AR tools have several mind-boggling benefits that are changing the 21st-century educational dynamics. Some of the benefits of AR technology are:

• Remote yet Real-world Experience: It is a reality that students learn and understand things better when exposed to real-life situations, and AR technology has the power to do so no matter what the subject is. The AR tools, apps, and platforms can simulate scenarios and provide real-world problems for students to solve and emerge as problem-solvers. 
• Accessibility: AR tools can democratize entire learning ecosystems, offering something to everyone. For instance, AR can present students with visual impairments and provide virtual aids to engage and learn. 
• Fostering Curiosity and Creativity: AR technology is compelling, and it can leverage its power to nurture curiosity through visual presentations and provide quizzes and puzzles for developing innovative solutions from students.
• Remote Learning: The beauty of AR technology is that everything is online and can be accessed from anywhere. This can help students learn even if they are living in the remotest of areas. Remote learning also offers flexibility and saves valuable time, an added advantage.
• Motivation for Participation: Much can be achieved quickly with some help from AR technology. AR tools and apps can motivate students to participate in learning activities and engage them in solving the challenges of the 21st-century world and beyond.

Tips for Using Augmented Reality Classroom

While AR tools have immense power to change how we learn and perceive things, they can be integrated into the classrooms for better results. Following are the tips for using Augmented Reality Classroom:

• Defining learning objectives: It is essential to clearly define and demarcate the boundaries of your learning objectives while using AR tools. It can support your school curriculum and help you achieve the desired learning outcomes in the quickest time if the objectives are apparent to begin with.
• Selecting the right AR Tools: While AR tools are many and their platforms can have many uses and relevance, you may need to find a way to suit your particular goals. Therefore, choosing the correct AR tool and aligning your learning objectives can help you progress without getting lost. 
• Training and Support: Hands-on training and timely support are prerequisites to using AR tools effectively; otherwise, you may feel overwhelmed, and students may also lose interest in the new technology. Therefore, the teachers and students should be adequately trained before using AR classroom tools.

FAQs

• How can AR be used in the classroom?
  Teachers and students can use AR in various ways in the classroom. They can incorporate AR tools into interactive textbooks,  simulated labs, virtual field trips, and engaging audio-visual content. 
• What does AR mean in teaching?
  In teaching and education, Augmented Reality means incorporating AR tools to enhance learning abilities like problem-solving, customization, collaboration, and creation to prepare students for a better future. 
• What is the difference between AR and VR in the classroom?
  Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are sometimes confused as the same things. However, AR enhances students’ real-world environments by adding digital components while keeping learners in their physical reality. On the other hand, VR creates an entirely new reality, immersing the students in a different environment altogether. Classroom AR and VR tools are gaining popularity day by day. Virtual Reality in the classroom is an exciting venture for kids because it offers them a different experience. 
• What is AR for learning?
  It means using AR tools, apps, and platforms for learning. Nowadays, online schools frequently use augmented reality teaching methods. AR learning is changing the game for everyone. Similarly, using VR in classroom takes students to a different environment. 

Suggested Read

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• Top 10 Homeschool Room Ideas To Stay Organized
• Surprising Benefits of Microlearning for Students
• Blended Learning: What Is It and How Does It Work?
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