iPads, MakerEd and More in Education

Augmented (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are becoming more commonly used in our classrooms, with many new tools being added that promote more authentic and immersive learning experiences for students. As educators, we should welcome these unique tools because they can help with designing more authentic and innovative learning spaces, and are a means to transform “how” students are learning. We can take students on virtual trips and really open a world of opportunities for them to explore.

Why use AR and VR? These tools enable educators to provide powerful opportunities for students to do more than learn through videos or photos. Students can closely explore objects or places, in ways that the traditional tools of textbooks and videos cannot provide. Students have more control in how they are learning and interacting with the content. Through these augmented and virtual reality tools, we can bring never before possible learning experiences, such as travel and the use of holograms, to our students. These tools make it possible for students to travel anywhere around the world or into outer space even and explore these places more closely. Students can explore what they want and learn in a more immersive way, which helps to engage students more.