Students Bring War Letters to Life with Daqri's Augmented Reality App

Last week, I discussed our new World War II RAFT performance assessment and the degree of voice and choice it gave students throughout the project. We also experimented with the use of augmented reality to create more engaging displays for the gallery walk displaying the student projects.

We used Daqri to create the following AR experiences. The app brings the war letters to life by layering the student voice-over as well as providing a brief description of their role, audience, and topic.

To view the experiences, simply download the Daqri app on any iOS device, open the app, and point your device at the pictures below.  If all goes well, a colored box with the project info should appear at the top of the letter and the student voice-over should automatically begin.  Give it a shot!

This was basically a "test run" for using Daqri in the classroom. There is so much more that you can do with the app, this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding this technology's potential.  I hope to collaborate with others (such as AR guru Stewart Parker) to create engaging AR experiences throughout the next school year. 

Augmented Reality in Education: Session Resources

Below is the slide deck from last Spring's "Augmented Reality in Education" session. (I just remembered to share this out... oops.)  Here is the outline:

What is Augmented Reality?
Hardware & Software Needs
AR App Spotlight (9 Apps)
AR Integration Ideas
How to Create AR (With Aurasma)

AR Presentation Link (Embedded below)




If you have any questions about Augmented Reality or run into any trouble trying to create it, as always just let me know!

Gamification Series Part 15: The Next Level

In this final post of the series, I will provide some insights regarding where I think gamification and game-based learning may lead in the not-so-distant future...

Augment Reality Integration

Throughout the year, students asked how our gamifed course could become more active, immersive, and engaging.  They also did not want to progress through missions and levels in front of a computer for long stretches of time.  This is where I think that Augmented Reality (AR) can bring gamification to a whole new level.   First, videos and images are no longer tethered to the computer as they can be "tagged" to any physical location and accessed with a mobile device.  One mission that I never developed but would like to in the future is a type of AR scavenger hunt that would lead students to different locations based upon the decisions that they made throughout the mission.  

AR is already making its way into the gaming world.  At last summer's GIE symposium, I was introduced to the new Google project called Ingress.  The attempt here seems to be the development of a gaming environment that, like many of our courses, is blended between both the physical and online world.  The only different here is that at many locations, those two world converge via augmented reality.  

Gamified Learning Management Systems

I have already mentioned a few platforms (ClassBadges, 3DGameLab, ClassDojo, Classcraft) that are doing a great job developing online tools and environments to help, or developed specifically for, gamified courses. This is the tip of the iceberg.  As more educators recognize the potential for gamification and game-based learning, the demand for a robust, easy to use online platform will rise. It is also apparent that the companies mentioned above are working closely with educators in the field to create the best product possible for students in K-12 settings.  I'm looking forward to great things to come on this front! 

Game-Based Curriculum / Gamified Schools

Believe it or not, this actually already exists.  Quest to Learn is a public middle and high school in New York City that "uses the underlying design principles of games to create highly immersive, game-like learning experiences.” (Source)

I also believe that the rise in mastery learning and proficiency-based graduation competencies opens the door for this type of innovative approach.  If schools begin to move away from "seat time" requirements and instead focus on students' ability to demonstrate competency in specific skills, a self or flex-paced gamified curriculum could serve as an effective type of learning environment.   

*** That concludes the gamification series.  I hope that my reflections from this year at PHS will serve as guidance and/or inspiration for many of you interested in the promise and potential for gamification and game-based learning in the field of education. If you have any questions, comments, advice, or would simply like to connect and chat, please get in touch!  @Mr_Driscoll / thdriscoll@gmail.com 

Complete Gamification Series

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: What is Gamification?

Part 3: Why Gamify?

Part 4: Our Quest

Part 5: Student Viewpoints on Gamification

Part 6: Gaming Terminology

Part 7: Leveling

Part 8: Badges & Achievements

Part 9: XP & Grades By Attrition

Part 10: Guilds / Team Missions

Part 11: Leaderboards

Part 12: Narrative / Avatars

Part 13: Managing Gamification

Part 14: Results

Part 15: The Next Level

GOOGLE DOC COMPILATION OF ALL POSTS

8 AR Apps for Education in Under 40 Seconds

I recently put together this quick video demonstrating 8 awesome Augmented Reality apps that can be leveraged in education.

Apps Included: colAR Mix, AR Flashcards, AR Flashcards Space, Spacecraft 3D, Anatomy 4D, Elements 4D, Enchantium Musical Strings, and Aurasma.

View on YouTube


If you are interested in learning more and are located in the New England region, check out the upcoming Augmented Reality Workshop on April 29th in Providence.  It will be entirely hands on with plenty of sandbox time for us educators!

Augmented Reality Workshop - Providence, 4/29

I am excited to host the upcoming Augmented Reality Workshop at the Highlander Institute in Providence on April 29th from 4:00-5:30.  If you are in the region and interested in this rapidly developing technology that is bursting with potential for education, we'd love to have you join us for a fun night of hands-on learning!  We teachers need some sandbox time too after all...  

If interested in attending the event, click here for the registration page.  Event details are also included below.

Augmented Reality Workshop

Highlander Institute

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (EDT)

Providence, RI

Event Details

Educators around the nation are realizing the awesome potential for augmented reality (AR) in education. In contrast to virtual reality, augmented reality is a rapidly developing technology that adds graphics, sounds, and real-time feedback to the natural world. How much does it cost? If you have access to any iOS or Android device, most AR apps are actually FREE!

How can AR be utilized in education? That is what you will discover in this interactive and high energy workshop. We will experiment with AR apps such as SkyView, Spacecraft 3D, AR Flashcards & Space, Chromville, ColAR Mix, Daqri, Anatomy 4D, Enchantium Musical Strings, Elements 4D, and Aurasma. This workshop will also provide educators with the opportunity to create their own personalized AR experiences using the powerful Aurasma app.

Goals:

- Recognize how augmented reality can be leveraged to engage students and enhance learning.

- Develop personalized augmented reality experiences.

Audience:

K-12 Educators

Although iPads will be available, participants are encouraged to bring their own iOS or Android devices with many of the above mentioned apps installed. (Advised but not necessary to engage in this awesome session!)

                           

AR Projects With Aurasma

Since first discovering augmented reality and recognizing the tremendous potential that it has in education, I have been trying to develop ways to effectively integrate this incredible technology in our history courses.  Since then we have used Aurasma for two major and ongoing class projects...

AR Wall

Students used Aurasma to create primary source images that "come to life."  They first identified images for their world religions project, then created short videos explaining the source as well as its significance.  These images were then taped to a wall so that anyone with the app could view the aura videos as they hovered over each trigger image.   (See video below)

AR Text

Similarly, the AP European History students have been tagging primary source images in our textbook with videos explaining their meaning and historical significance.  Now, when students hover their device over images throughout the book, videos of their classmates will appear providing them with additional insight.  Certainly a new way to review for the AP test!

Below is a quick video that students created demonstrating how Aurasma was used for each project. (View on YouTube)
 

Gamification PD With Viewing Guide

I was recently contacted by Carl Harrington, Social Studies Dept. Head at East Wake Academy in North Carolina.  He wanted to share the Level up With Gamification video with his staff and decided that to help them "Eat the Elephant"  (Carl's awesome word choice), he created this timestamped outline of the PD session.  A big thanks go out to Carl and I hope that this outline proves helpful to anyone interested in gamification.  The outline here is accompanied by the embedded video further below.  (If you view on Youtube, timestamped links are included in "about" section.) 

*** Here is a link to the updated Google Presentation from our second session in December.

Level Up with Gamification Viewing Guide

:50     Sorting game to create groups

2:41   Tie-breaker activity to determine the winner of the sorting game

6:00   Nail game

8:30   Overview

10:00  What does it mean to Gamify?

12:00  Why Gamify? (Connection to brain-based and mastery learning)

14:30  Grading “Earning” the grade rather being “given” the grade

19:00  Creating Levels and Level Challenges

23:00  Mechanics of Creating a Gamified Class

25:40  Leveling

26:20  Badges and Achievements

29:00  XP and Leaderboards

30:15  Team Missions

31:06  Creating a Narrative 

33:30  Managing the Gamified Classroom

34:00  Mission Guides and Learning Maps

37:00  Progress Monitoring

38:00  Swiping in

40:30  Mission Progress/ Rundown

42:00  Tech Integration

42:00  LMS System

45:50  Google Apps

47:00  Empowerment

49:46  Pacing

52:00  Challenges

53:00  Achievements

56:00  Student Viewpoints

1:03:01   Level up Button  (Immediate Feedback)

1:04:40   Changes and Improvements

1:05:15   Augmented Reality

1:11:00   Question and Answer

Level Up With Gamification Video (View on YouTube)

Diving Into Augmented Reality

Over the past few months, I have been exploring the benefits and learning opportunities made possible by emerging augmented reality (AR) technologies.  First, I had to get a better grasp regarding what "augmented reality" actually is.  Here is a helpful description:

"...augmented reality blurs the line between what's real and what's computer-generated by enhancing what we see, hear, feel and smell. On the spectrum between virtual reality.... and the real world, augmented reality is closer to the real world. Augmented reality adds graphics, sounds, haptic feedback and smell to the natural world as it exists."  Source 

My main source of information regarding augmented reality in education has been The Two Guys Show podcast on Edreach, hosted by Brad Waid and Drew Minoch.  They have also created an awesome website called Two Guys and Some iPads with incredible AR sources.

In a recent post, I demonstrated how my son has been using the colAR mix app to bring his coloring pages to life, as well as some fun I was having with Aurasma by augmenting my daughter crawling out from behind our couch.  Since then, my 2-year-old son has also loved the AR Flashcards which bring animals and dinosaurs to life as he learns his letters (and dino names of course). See image to the right.

As I began recognizing the awesome potential that AR has for learning, I committed to making a channel on Aurasma for my students. My first trial run at making an "aura" with the Aurasma Studio Account was to augment the FlippedHistoryVideos trailer onto the Flipped History logo image.  After a few initial attempts, it worked!   If you are interested in viewing the aura, follow the steps below:

Step 1

Install Aurasma onto your mobile device: iOS & Android

Step 2

Subscribe to the Flipped History Channel

Option 1

Go to http://auras.ma/s/O1QFP

Option 2

Scan the following QR Code to the right

Once you have the Aurasma app and are following the Flipped History Channel, you should be able to view the aura below.  To do this, open Aurasma and point your device at the trigger image below.  You should then see a purple swirl appear.  Soon after (quickly if on wifi, longer if via 3/4G), the Flipped History Videos trailer should augment and play over the image. 

If you have trouble viewing the aura, just let me know and I can help you troubleshoot the issue.  This is a very new process for people, and the technology is still relatively new, so experiencing challenges along the way is part of it. Hang in there!  On the other hand, if it worked, that is awesome!  You are already on your way to making your own unique auras.   

AR in the Classroom

Since the Flipped History Aurasma Channel has been up and running, I have incorporated AR into the following two projects. 

1. AP European History students are creating auras for primary source visuals in our text.

2. World History students are creating auras as part of the world religions project and posting them on our new "Aura Wall."

As we finish up these projects, I look forward to sharing our experiences in future posts.  Until then, if you have any questions about these AR projects or are just interested in exploring the possibilities, as always, please let me know. 

Fun with Augmented Reality

colAR Mix

Over the summer, I came across this amazing post by Erin Klein that introduced me to the colAR app. In short, this incredible app turns a coloring book page into an interactive augmented realty experience! I immediately downloaded it and had my son Blake give it a try.  Needless to say, my 2-year-old now wishes every coloring book would come to life like this one!  Here is a quick video of my son Blake (with assistance from my wife Michaela) using the colAR app to augment his favorite coloring pages.

(View on YouTube)


Aurasma

I was also introduced to the Aurasma augmented reality app this summer at the Games in Education Symposium in NY.  Unfortunately, I was presenting during the Aurasma session, so I did not really get a chance to experiment with the app at this conference.

About a week ago, I started listening to the new Edreach podcast called the Two Guys Show with Brad Waid and Drew Minock.  They referenced Aurasma on several occasions as one of the go-to augmented reality apps out there, so I decided to play around with it a bit in school.  I then decided that it could be fun to create an aura of my daughter Lydia poking her head out from behind a couch and seeing how my son Blake would react.  Well, here is the video and I think he found it awesome.  It is clear, however, that Dad thinks this is much cooler than either of them, and Liddy is already realizing how nuts her Dad is.  Here is the video:

(View on YouTube)


I can't wait to explore AR further this year, particularly that ways that I can incorporate it into our gamified flipped-mastery courses. More to come soon!