Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
One of the newest buzzwords in the world of technology is a concept called augmented reality. According to Wikipedia, augmented reality is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are augmented by virtual computer-generated imagery. In plain English, augmented reality is the practice of blending real-world video with computer-generated graphics that provide additional information to the viewer.
The 2010 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition named augmented reality as one of the six emerging technologies likely to have a significant impact on K-12 education in the next one to five years. Produced by the New Media Consortium in collaboration with CoSN, the report indicated that augmented reality emerged from the convergence of three technologies – GPS, online video and pattern recognition. Combined with mobile technology, augmented reality becomes a portable tool for discovery-based learning.
In fact, last month eSchool News published an article about the use of augmented reality. According to eSchool News, “a small but growing number of schools across the nation are turning classroom lessons into engagement experiences with augmented reality.” Proponents of the technology say augmented reality differs from virtual reality in that while virtual reality aims to replace a person’s perception of the world with an artificial world, augmented reality enhances a person’s perception of his or her surroundings.”
If you’re looking for the latest information regarding augmented reality, follow the hashtag #are2010 associated with the Augmented Reality Event on June 2-3, 2010, in Santa Clara, Calif.
For more information, view this related coverage:
- Scholastic Administrator’s The Royal Treatment: Augmented Reality: The New Simulation
- Teach 42: What Could You Do with Augmented Reality?
- ISTE Connects: Radford Outdoor Augmented Reality: Get Outside and Learn