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Use this fantastic story as the starting point for learning about online safety and try some of our suggested teaching ideas!
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality, often referred to as AR, is a form of technology that allows users to place digital objects and information in the real-world. Most commonly used with smartphones and tablets, AR is being used in a range of different industries and sectors, ranging from manufacturing and construction to leisure and retail. One of the biggest use cases for AR is education. Over the past decade, teachers have been bringing their classrooms to life through various apps readily available on the App and Play Store. Imagine for example, a T-Rex roaming around the school hall or a Viking Longship being planted in the school playground. The possibilities for AR in education are endless.
How is AR different to VR?
Virtual Reality or VR, uses a headset to transport a user into a digital 360 degree world. Using controllers, you can interact with different objects and activities in the virtual world. Unlike AR, VR doesn’t involve any interaction with the real-world. For this reason, it’s important that you are aware of your surroundings and you have enough space to safely participate. The most commonly used VR headsets are sold by manufacturers like Oculus (owned by Facebook) and HTC (the smartphone company).
How can AR be used in the classroom?
Fortunately, AR is far more accessible for education than VR. Schools with IPads or tablets can get started with AR straight away. There are hundreds of apps available for education and many of them are free to download. I’ve listed five of my favourites below:
There are hundreds of AR apps that can be used in the classroom! Steve Bambury and ICT Evangelist have compiled a periodic table of all the best educational AR and VR apps for IOS and this can be accessed here. Take a look and start downloading some of the AR apps to test in your classroom!
At PrimeVR, we are currently designing our own AR app that is going to provide a unique storytelling experience and will be a great stimulus for creative writing. More news and updates regarding this will be shared on our website soon.
Stuart Gent is the founder of PrimeVR, the UK’s leading VR workshop provider. Since setting up in 2017, PrimeVR has worked with over 500 schools and nearly 100,000 pupils to deliver engaging, curriculum-aligned KS2 workshops. PrimeVR is currently designing an AR app StoryBox AR that is going to provide a unique storytelling experience and will be a great stimulus for creative writing. More news and updates regarding this will be shared on their website soon.
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