Benefits of AR in Education: A Brief Introduction for the Uninitiated

With spontaneous coronavirus pandemic outbreak, every school, college, and university had to change their learning approaches. Undoubtedly, terminating education is by no means the right choice.

Some professors decided to stick to traditional teaching methods, claiming innovative approaches and programs are not developed enough. Others, in turn, have given it a try and are now better off.

By utilizing Augmented Reality (AR for short) in education, instructors have unveiled an impressive potential of this interactive experience. And while many teachers are hampering the use of AR, hoping to return to traditional education when the situation levels off, others employ it daily and don't want to go back to pre-covid traditional education. This post will demonstrate Augmented Reality's usefulness and answer why it has to be implemented in the learning process.

Augmented Reality enables the person to see digital components, symbols, and objects layered on real-world images, often employing the use of smartphone cameras. To be more specific, you can see a particular mural moving when looking at it through your smartphone’s camera. In other words, AR allows the users to observe different elements when launching their cameras.

Aside from mobile phones, there are also special smartglasses existing these days. However, they are not as prevalent as smartphones, mainly because of high prices. And the demand for them is significantly lower.

While devices create augmented, interactive pictures and allow people to perform different actions, the actual AR with all the quirks comes from software and code. They are all implemented in various apps, which are available on the two most popular marketplaces.

People have been using AR for many years, yet the rapid increase in users and development occurred only several years ago. With that being said, programmers have managed to develop AR impressively, adjusting it to every field. And education is one of them. Let's take a closer look at the greatest advantages of Augmented Reality in education.

Learning online doesn't mean students can't practice. Apart from memorizing a dozen books with theoretical information, students must practice to refine their skills to graduate with sufficient experience. The Yale School of Nursing serves as a great example of how AR can polish professional skills. Students use their devices to see real-life body parts, wounds, and specific health problems with AR's help.

AR works great with every discipline. Besides medicine, Chemistry and Biology students can carry out digital labs and submit informative reports. Likewise, Archeology students may do fieldwork and test their skills. Also, the visual form of exams proves to be more effective than any written test.

Education available for everyone only on paper. In reality, many people can't afford tertiary education. Consequently, they turn to different services, such as this one, to learn how to write correctly and understand the topic without paying thousands of dollars. Thanks to Augmented Reality, learning today is effortless. Lots of AR applications aren't related to any courses and are free. This allows students to gain additional knowledge by using smartphones.

For instance, FETCH! Lunch Rush is an AR app that teaches elementary school kids math. Created in 3D, the app constructs pictures and graphs in real-world surroundings to help kids learn how to add and/or subtract. In turn, Anatomy 4D shows models of a human body, which helps medical students understand what the body looks like without posing any danger.

Many complicated notions are impossible to explain by using only words. Sometimes, we have to see how the concept works to understand its peculiarities. Augmented Reality helps attain this. By using an AR application, students can visualize how medieval ships were built, what elements they comprised, and how they were operated.

Other than that, this technology can be used in physics. Physics classes are oversaturated with different examples. AR helps students visualize concepts the teacher demonstrates. For instance, Augmented Reality can be employed when showing layer additions or visualizing sound.

Traditional books, blackboards, and notes are a thing of the past now. Fewer students use them daily. And it is understandable. We live in a fast-paced environment, and everything changes, including our approach toward various things.

And the same goes for education. Drawing a cross-section and cutting it across to show what's inside is not practical now, especially compared to Augmented Reality and its features. The notion of education is to help people increase their knowledge on different topics. However, hardly is it possible without adjusting to modern trends.

Owing to AR, students find many courses much more exciting than they used to be. For instance, geography can now rely on Augmented Reality to show the layers of mountains and water sources. Astronomy can demonstrate solar systems, stars, and other planets more vividly.

Barring many opponents who stay away from implementing new features in education, Augmented Reality is a forthcoming notion related to increasing its efficiency. Year by year, AR becomes more useful and accessible, allowing everyone to utilize it daily. The mentioned list of features is only a drop in the ocean of benefits Augmented Reality provides. However, it gives a clear picture of how education can become way better in the long run.