Augmented Reality in Education

What is Augmented Reality and why do we need to have it in our educational system? This article will make you aware of some interesting facts about one of the booming technologies that is infiltrating every inch of our daily lives – Augmented Reality.

Students tend to forget what they have been taught through a regular classroom session while they would remember an app or a television show they used or watched the past day. This puts lights on how efficiently students can be taught by providing them with an experience more than giving lectures. There is a clear difference between learning and understanding through audio and visuals, and how students are able to be invested in things that interest them. This is where Augmented Reality comes into play.

Anything that can be witnessed becomes a solid memory in children’s mind and therefore education integrated with any visual medium is an advantage in the field of education. Instead of the traditional methods of learning through hour-long lectures and manuals, Augmented reality is a solution to conventional educational methods. It helps individuals to learn the topics of their interest in a 3D visual format which helps them understand better and grasp information faster. The field of education needs to adapt to technological inventions that can increase the engagement of students and help them build problem-solving skills and confidence. There ware various products at ATLAB, one of the leading education solution providers in the UAE is set to bring a positive impact on the education field with quite a number of benefits. Augmented reality has many benefits in the education sector and ATLAB describes some of them:

1. Reduces complexity: It helps the students to understand various complex and abstract topics in an easy way due to the availability of 3D visuals.
2. Increases imagination: It improves the perspective and imagination of students, helps them to view and relate to various topics with a wider knowledge.
3. Engagement and Interaction: Unlike the traditional classrooms in which the students find it hard to survive through a complete lecture, these ones are more engaging and students are able to immerse themselves completely into it.
4. Accessibility: Learning with the help of AR apps is quite accessible as the majority of people have a smartphone in hand nowadays. These apps run and function smoothly on smartphones and can be accessed whenever and wherever one wishes to.
5. Hassle-free practical: No equipment is required for the students to perform the practical. This helps lower or cut-down the cost of buying and arranging the expensive equipment.

While this might be new technology, quite a number of schools have adopted it considering the benefits it has, and also how technology is affecting the kids nowadays.

Requirements for AR in the Classroom

Many schools in the UAE are setting up classrooms that can support augmented reality. A classroom ideally needs these basic needs for setting up AR.

1. an Internet connection
2. Mobile devices (i.e. smartphones or tablets)
3. AR apps (especially one tailored for education)
4. “Triggers” or “Markers” (i.e. images, objects, locations and/or actions that trigger an action on the device screen via the AR app)

Augmented reality can bring a considerable change in the educational sector due to cost-friendly and accessibility. Students acquire competencies and knowledge to collaborate with fellow students in solving tasks. The main advantage of these kinds of innovations is that the courses are open-ended and therefore, students are free to choose their path in future. One significant reason for doing so: taking ownership of projects helps increase a student’s feeling of responsibility and engagement with the material. AR can even break the walls between students-teachers- educators and educational solution providers.

To know more about Augmented Reality, contact ATLAB and talk to the experts. Visit us at www.atlabme.com.