Augmented Reality: Welcome to the E-Learning Holodeck!

E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program - In 3-Dimensions


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Augmented Reality


I was intrigued by a recent article in ISTE's Learning and Leading with Technology Journal (June/July 2011) called Abracadabra - It's Augmented Reality! by Raphael Raphael.  I've been doing some light research on the field since it turned up in the Horizon 2011 Report as a technology that's just starting to work it's way into education.  Educause predicts that 5 years from now AR may be a significant part of any online instructor's toolkit.  From what I've seeing now I agree.

I was a classroom teacher for 25 years.  I loved grabbing new tech and creating multidisciplinary units with the incredible team of teacher I worked with in middle school. AR tech is something I would have adopted in my 4-wall reality practice, and it naturally fits my current world as an online instructor.

CommonCraft has an excellent video overview to help you see what's coming with this new technology.  They include provocative ideas about both mobile applications and desktop possibilities. I love the idea of a screen embedded in my glasses!

http://www.commoncraft.com/augmented-reality-video

This really is something you have to see to believe.

To give you a better understanding of what AR looks like here are several videos.  The potential for this technology in online teaching and learning (as well as blended and face to face classrooms) is astounding!



I'm going to add Augmented Reality to the list of suggestions I offer students for an independent research project we do during the first course, E-Learning for Educators, in the Graduate Certificate program.

One of the reasons I'm so deeply committed to online teaching and learning is that there's always something new on the horizon. While the fundamentals of teaching remain the same, the opportunities to engage with new ideas using evolving technology is never ending.  I've never been bored teaching, but I have always yearned for away to move my mind into time and space beyond the traditional 4 walls of a classroom.  It's a great time to be an e-learning instructor!

This Lego Kiosk Video shows AR working in the market place right now.




I was delighted by how easily and intuitively Zooburst works.  I built my first attempt at AR in about 20 minutes.  What you're seeing now is just a first step.  I need to explore how to integrate the video aspect of this system into things as well.  As it stands you have a 360 degree image, but not a lot of dynamic information.  I'll be working on that!

The Zooburst system, which is promoted as a digital storytelling program, has a free account and a very reasonable premium edition  already set up with teachers in mind. The digital story telling possibilities of this technology, combined with the additional video production possibilities make this a very appealing technology for online instruction. I'll be introducing Zooburst in my online writing class Teaching and Assessing Writing with the 6-Traits this summer as well. Reading and writing teachers are always looking for high motivation activities to help their students become engaged while they become literate.

Here are some resources for investigation. Thanks to ISTE author Raphael Raphael for many of these links!

GE's Plug into the Smart Grid: http://www.ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid
Getty Museum's 17th Century Cabinet of Curiosities AR display: http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/north_pavilion/ar/index.html
Layar: http://layar.com
ManyCam (free webcam software with AR features) http://www.manycam.com
Pocket Universe: http://www.craicdesign.com
Starwalk: http://www.vitotechnology.com/star-walk.html
TagDis: http://www.tagdis.com
The Hidden Park: http://www.hiddenpark.com
Wikitude: http://www.wikitude.org/en
Zooburst: http://www.zooburst.com
Augmented Reality Blog: http://augmentedblog.wordpress.com/

The Advantages and Realities of Teaching Online

National and International Reach

The courses at UW-Stout are open to learners from around the world. Over the years in addition to North America, I've worked with people from most of the countries of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.  In addition to a large group from the Wisconsin, last semester we had participants from Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Vermont, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia, Florida, California, and Alaska. From overseas there were teachers connecting from Korea, China, Taiwan, Okinawa, Dubai, Germany, Austria, and England.

Joining our classes means you are preparing to learn and make a living well beyond the boundaries of our home towns.

Teaching Tactics: Notes Become Grade Book Comments

I'll often write my responses into the grade comments area of the course management area as I read the posts. This helps me capture my thinking, without jumping into the discussion too early or too often.
D2L allows me to make preliminary notes in a grade field invisible to participants. This way I capture my thinking about each post as I read and work a bit on my comments for the week. I can then paste my reactions into the public discussion when I'm ready to wrap up the week.

Discussion Dynamics

You might ask, why not just post what you have to say in the discussion? An instructor already has a big voice in a class. I write my own classes, so my voice is present in both the content and the discussions.  I don't want to dominate a conversation or cut it short. At the same time I want students to know I'm present, and attentive.  Walking this fine line between either hijacking a conversation or disappearing as the discussion rushes by is one of the skills all online instructors must constantly practice.

Seasoned Faculty

All of the instructors in our program are highly experienced professionals with exceptional online teaching abilities.  At the same we're all teachers and learners tuned to the needs of those just entering the field.  Our goal is to help you learn both the theory and practical every day technology driven realities of working and teaching online.

How Dreams Become Goals

If you've ever dreamed of giving up the commute to the classroom for the freedom of e-learning, now's the time to turn your dreams into goals.  Join us for a great semester of online teaching and learning!

Register now for the  University of Wisconsin-Stout's Fully Online Classes in E-Learning and Online Teaching!

Certificate Home Page
Last Call for Summer 2011
EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators Two start date options: Begins June 20, 2011.  

Where will you be a year from now? Register now!