How Augmented Reality in Education is bringing New Forms of Learning and Interaction

Education is always a discovery of new, better ways to help students understand the world. After chalkboards and projectors, there came computers and tablets as technology shaped the way we teach and learn. And recently, something more exciting has emerged: Augmented Reality or AR. This is a technology, which combines the real world with technology and 3D vision. It is changing the way learning happens. It turns into schooling which becomes more interactive, engaging, and effective than just lessons and rote memorizing.

If you’ve ever used a Snapchat filter or played Pokémon Go, then you’ve already experienced AR. You must have seen how the image becomes live and it looks like a real object or a person is there. AR is a technology that adds digital layers through a device like a smartphone, tablet, or AR glasses. With this, you start seeing live images, sounds, or animations as if you are living in a real world. And, if implemented well, this can completely change the game play of Indian education

So let’s look into how AR in education is transforming, why this matters, and what it will mean for the future of learning.

How AR Works in the Classroom 

Imagine a student pointing a camera on their textbook page and instead of seeing a static image, they find a 3D model pop up on their screen. And that model explains the concept of that topic in an immersive and interactive manner. They can rotate it, zoom in, and learn with it.

AR scans the real world using the camera of a device and then overlays digital content over the same. It could be anything: a 3D model, animation, or even video. The result is an interactive experience that makes learning more exciting and memorable.

Why AR Will Revolutionize Education

Let's face it: not all students get excited over reading a textbook or listening to a lecture. AR changes that as it converts learning into an interactive experience. For instance, instead of reading a book on the water cycle, one can watch a 3D animation of how water evaporates, forms clouds, and turns into rain with an AR app. This is how hands-on learning keeps one engaged and lets him retain more information.

Some of the topics, such as geometry, chemistry, or human anatomy, cannot be easily understood through reading. AR makes these a little easy to understand for the learner through visual and interactive models which are nep 2020 aligned. For example, in biology, a student would need a 3D model of the human heart. He or she could observe how the heart pumps blood in real time. Such visual learning improves making the complex ideas accessible.

AR also encourages teamwork in the students. For example, in geography, students could work on making a 3D map of a country, using mountains, rivers, and cities. In a science class, they could be designing and testing a virtual ecosystem. This is how they learn to collaborate with each other, share ideas, and find ways to solve the problems of being a team. These skills are as valuable as the information being learned and these days AR is also added in CBSE School Books.

Each student learns differently and AR can customize the way information is absorbed. For instance, an AR application of math will know how to elevate the level at which a problem is presented based on a student's performance or else show the concepts when a student shows confusion over a certain concept.

AR can also make learning accessible to all. Like, for disabled students, AR can offer visual or audio support for their learning. For example, a hearing-impaired student can use AR to read the sign language translations of a lesson; this means a student who is disabled with visual impairment can use AR to explore the tactile models of objects.

Augmented reality is really not just another cool trend, it changes the face of learning at school. It will allow them to explore, experiment, and collaborate on things that have never been thought of before with the help of augmented reality.