Traditional educational methods are fast losing steam as the education sector is fast adopting latest technologies and getting the digital edge. Education technology or EdTech as it is popularly termed is all set to reach a staggering $680.1 billion by 2027 with an annual growth rate of 17.9%. Among the technologies that are making an impactful change to the education sector is that of Augmented Reality (AR). In fact, it is predicted that AR will open up a pool of opportunities to students and institutes alike and surpass $5.3 billion by 2023!
Augmented Reality is all set to making the learning process more fluid and engaging with its 3-Dimensional (3-D) models.
What is augmented reality?
Augmented Reality is a technology that helps initiate an interactive experience much like that of the real world by generating objects virtually by superimposing videos, graphics and sound. It uses cameras and sensors, reflection and projection to combine the real and the virtual world with accurate 3-D virtual imaging of real objects. The process helps interweave a seamless and immersive experience of different aspects of the real world environments.
Objects of the real world become interactive as they are digitally manipulated by AR cameras, computer vision and the allied elements. Augmented Reality is the digital output information of specific environment that is overlaid on the real world for people to experience. This makes it possible for educational institutes and systems to incorporate interactive classrooms as part of their teaching curricula.
How Augmented Reality is benefiting students learn better
AR is fast being adopted across a cross-section of educational settings making complicated subjects simpler to students. Virtual field trips and virtual engagement with other cultures make learning simply more interesting. Strong emerging trends suggest that the AR as EdTech is set to surpass a whopping $5.3 billion by 2023. As a supporting pillar of the Industrial Revolution 4.0., the AR landscape in the educational and its allied sectors is set to be worth $198 billion by 2025!
Here are some of the most remarkable ways in which AR can significantly impact the learning environment:
Make learning interesting, engaging, and meaningful:
With the opportunity to engage directly with educational content by way of virtual worlds, students get attracted to it instantly. This lets them explore the related curriculum with more interest and lets them learn in a way that they retain easily. After all, seeing volcanoes, experiencing storms and seeing DNA structures as though live certainly makes learning more interesting and meaningful!
Create stimulating learning environment:
Lessons imparted using AR technology let students become part of interactive learning environments which is akin to implementing hands-on learning methods. In the process, students learn with more interest and clarity while they acquire newer skills that they are ready to put to practice. It is easier to remember atomic and molecular weights, chemical elements and their reactions with them appearing as visual blocks instead of ink and paper representations!
Better comprehension of content and curricula:
Lack of content understanding is among the major concerns of teachers across the globe especially when it comes to teaching average students and those with special needs. Use of AR helps ease this challenge as students are able to engage in immersive learning environments of models letting them understand better. Students across all types of learning spectrum end up with real life-like visual learning that they are able to grasp faster. Using AR educational apps that simulate moon landing and the technology involved elucidate facts better than any formula can!
Sensory development:
The use of Augmented Reality in teaching initiate multisensory experience among students letting them benefit from it immensely. The process of engaging with immersive virtual content helps them use sensory faculties of touch, feel, hear and watching. It is much like engaging with such possibilities in the real world using all sensory faculties, and as a result they are stimulated to work in sync and developed. Seeing 3-D dinosaurs in action as the learning app features rotate, zoom, flip and more, lets students engage multiple sensory faculties that become alert and developed.
Higher retention of learnt curricula/better memory:
With vivid visual representation of the learning curricula before them, students tend to retain all that they see, experience and learn better and for longer periods. In fact, AR as EdTech can be used to create memorable stories of times, places and also objects. Think of bringing alive thousands of years of history before students instead of just imparting monotonous lessons.
Better collaboration and empathy among peer and learning groups:
Learning becomes more stimulating as groups of students immerse in the same experience, share the same platform and develop strong bonds while learning. They learn how to collaborate while learning which also helps them motivate to learn more actively. Educational content is easily assimilated by groups of interactive growing humans who learn to communicate across boundaries and also help each other. Teachers on the other hand can develop better curricula content based on such interactions.
Cost-effective learning method:
Use of smart gadgets with AR is continually on the rise and is fast becoming common especially in the advanced countries. These devices in turn become cost-effective ways of learning through educational apps using the technology. The method can cut down learning costs by replacing expensive textbooks and other learning materials.
Concluding thoughts
Augmented Reality integrates a virtual world into the real world to create transforming learning experiences. It brings in an enriching learning method that layers the digital content on the real world using cameras, sensors, other hardware devices that together process and reflect the 3-D images. Instead of remaining limited to playing Pokemon games, AR is now making learning more interactive, immersive and easier for students all across spectrums. Be it in classrooms or using AR-based learning apps, the technology is all set to make transformative changes in the education sector.
