AUGMENTED REALITY IN EDUCATION: EXPECTATIONS VS REALITY
In the 21st century, traditional forms of education are being replaced by new digital techniques. Technology innovations are driving the digitization of these industries. By 2027, education technology is expected to reach $680.1 billion since it is growing at the rate of 17.9% per year.
It’s no secret that Augmented Reality in education is one of the most significant trends in EdTech. A pool of opportunities will certainly open up as the value of AR in EdTech exceeds $5.3 billion by 2023.
With Augmented Reality in education, teachers can show virtual examples of concepts and incorporate gaming elements to provide textbook support, making classroom education more engaging and interactive. As a result, students will be able to learn faster and retain information more easily. But some challenges need to be resolved before implementing AR in education. Let us dive deep into AR, its benefits, and the challenges associated with it.
● Benefits of AR in education
Education is one of the fields where augmented reality can be seen playing multiple roles and having a substantial impact.
1. Combined learning
The use of augmented reality for teaching has the potential to replace old and obsolete techniques as well as textbooks. It is important to use a combination of AR-based learning and textbook-based learning as everything cannot be switched to technology immediately. AR-based classes can be combined with worksheets and assessments to ensure students understand what they have learned.
Furthermore, textbooks and lesson plans can be enhanced with AR-based applications and animations that work when a code is scanned on a particular app for studying. Starting with a few topics can lead to the digitalization of the entire course from the student’s and teachers’ perspectives.
2. Understanding complex concepts
In terms of models and illustrated images and contents, interactive classes can increase student engagement. With the help of AR, those content and images can help students understand and in-depth knowledge about the concepts that are generally hard to grasp.
These concepts can be explained using illustrations, graphics, and animations, the overall 3D representation can help the student to understand the subject and clarify any questions they may have.
For example:
An overview of the anatomy of the human eye. In textbooks, the concepts will be explained one by one, but in spite of learning all the technical terms like pupil and retina. The subject can be very dry while reading but AR can make it quite interesting for students. By using a 3-D structure, students can better understand the functional and structural aspects easily.
An AR-based application that virtually zooms in on the human eye and then displays description boxes on either side of it will be able to give the student a comprehensive understanding of the concept with clarity that can be enough to inspire imagination. In addition, the pictures of the concept will remain in the mind long after the topic is finished.
3. Gamification
The biggest benefit of AR in education is that it can help students learn more effectively. By gamifying AR, students can improve their attitudes and enhance their capabilities. A learning environment like this allows students to experience real-life scenarios and images related to the subject matter. It can also enhance learning as well as improve knowledge retention. It will be beneficial for students in the future to be able to remember the materials they have learned with AR.
4. An increase in student interest and engagement.
An AR learning experience that is interactive, gamified, and has a positive impact on the student can prove to be very beneficial. Engaging the students throughout the lesson keeps them interested and makes it fun for them to learn.
The use of augmented reality apps offers numerous opportunities to diversify and shake up boring classes. Moreover, these interactive lesson plans encourage each student’s participation in the learning process at the same time, and help students improve their teamwork skills.
By combining visualization with full immersion, AR in education helps students achieve better results. Therefore, instead of reading theory about something, students can see it for themselves and visualize everything in their mind.
5. Safer practice with AR Content Creation
Educators can also create their own AR content and lesson plans using educational AR apps, or even engage students in the process by doing so. In other words, educators as well as students can use AR apps with built-in studios to create their own desired presentations. It will be more beneficial for teachers as they can show the structure, anatomy, function, etc. in a more precise manner.
For example, in anatomy lessons, students will no longer need to dissect real animals.
It is possible to simulate this accurately using software. The students get the same level of practice without harming anything or using dangerous tools.
Although the concept of AR seems very fascinating in education, it still comprises multiple challenges. That is where one can witness the expectation vs reality in terms of AR in education.
Here are a few challenges associated with Augmented Reality in the education sector.
● Challenges of AR in education
Implementing AR in education has numerous benefits. On the other hand, it is imperative to consider the potential pitfalls that would cause confusion in the education sector.
It may be challenging for teachers to implement these new technologies since their training does not provide them with the needed skills. It is only the most innovative schools and teachers that are ready to apply augmented reality to their classrooms.
The second challenge is hardware dependency. It is necessary to have a certain infrastructure in place for augmented reality in the classroom. The majority of students do not own smartphones in developing nations capable of running AR applications.
As a result, it is not possible to provide the same quality of AR content across all platforms and devices. Building an AR app requires it to work across all platforms and devices equally well.
Therefore, building the right infrastructure, providing accurate training to the teachers, and having a centralized system in order to make AR accessible are essential to overcome the problems associated with AR in education.
In this way, students will be able to comprehend concepts in an immersive environment, which simplifies concepts and makes learning easier.
