Journal 3: Abracadabra: It's Augmented Reality!

 (NETS-1 & 2)

Raphael, R. (2011). Learning connections: abracadabra- it's augmented reality!. Learning and Leading with Technology, 38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Learning_Connections_Abracadabra_-_It_s_Augmented_Reality.aspx

In this article, Raphael Raphael discusses augmented reality as an innovative tool for students to use in learning. We see ways in which augmented reality can be educational on the Getty website where users are able to open drawers of a 17th century cabinet and view what is inside (Raphael, 2011). Students themselves are now able to create using augmented reality. Raphael Raphael provides the example of a storybook that a student creates. Through augmented reality students would be able to create their own narrative, drag and drop things into the story creating a pop-up book of sorts. Raphael mentions that a great tool for such student activity is through Zooburst. Raphael predicts that the abilities through augmented realities are going to exponentially increase in the future, providing endless opportunities for users and for students, especially. Already there exists augmented reality mobile applications available to students for learning. For example, there is one where one can point their mobile phone at the stars and the application will immediately provide a map of the nearby constellations, available for the person to study (Raphael, 2011). Through the world of augmented reality there will be endless educational opportunities for students to creatively explore ways to express what they have learned.

Question 1: While augmented reality will be a fun and inventive way for students to explore learning, might it turn into an invasion of privacy if such applications are created to search the web about strangers standing right in front of you?

Raphael Raphael mentioned that augmented reality technology is developing very quickly and that soon, mobile applications will be able to track people standing right in front of you, and bring up information on them from the internet, such as there Facebook, etc. This at first concerned me, because prior to this it would take someone to have personally met me to even be able to look me up on the internet. Now, that is not the case and it sounds quite dangerous. On the other hand, such an application could be used as a protective tool. If a stranger approaches you, you could pull up information on them before they even speak to you. In ways like this, I think the increasing technology of the future is strange and slightly worrisome.

Question 2: In what ways, as a future educator, could you imagine using augmented reality in your classroom?

For history projects I quite like the idea of being able to open up artifacts, like the ones at the Getty website that Raphael discussed. I think being able to examine artifacts from the past is one way that really brings the subject to life. I also find the pop-up story book an intriguing and fun way to bring creative writing truly to life. For kinesthetic learners this tool would be very useful in mathematics and spelling if the students could virtually move around numbers and letters when studying. The possibilities are truly endless and with a child's imagination and skill, it would be very exciting to see what sort of projects they are able to create with these tools.