Below you will find my podcast where I discuss augmented reality. You can find the script for the podcast below the audio. The podcast is reflective of a project I had competed in my Summer graduate class.
My
name is Jordan Harrison from the University of Houston, Victoria and today I
will be discussing augmented reality and its uses in the classroom
setting. Technology has become an
essential teaching tool in the classroom, helping to make learning more engaging
and encouraging collaborative learning amongst peers. One type of technology, augmented reality,
also referred to as AR is changing the way students learn by blurring the lines
between real world and virtual objects. But
how can AR be successfully applied in the classroom setting and how does this
form of technology impact student learning?
There has been an
increase in interest and popularity of AR in recent years due to the ease of
access mobile devices. AR is a way for teachers to provide students an engaging
way to use technology to extend student learning both inside and outside the
classroom walls.
One
way I can see technologies such as AR being used in the classroom is with
teaching difficult math concepts. We currently finished a unit on
multiplication and division, concepts that these students have been exposed to
in some shape or form since 1st grade. What
may seem like a simple concept to some is one that some students may never have
true understanding and is a concept they may never learn even in adulthood,
where such understanding of number relationships has real world applications. According to a
2015 study titled he Effect
of an Augmented Reality Enhanced Mathematics Lesson on Student Achievement and
Motivation, conducted by Estapa & Nadolny, “Mathematics
instruction is a natural fit for AR with benefits in manipulation,
visualization, and authentic contexts” (Estapa, 2015, p. 40).
As an educator, I am constantly
seeking out new ways to make learning more innovative and engaging for my
students. A part of my personal teaching
philosophy is that learning should be a journey toward understanding and should
never be punishment. Unfortunately, as
students progress through elementary school, struggling students begin to lose
their enthusiasm for learning and a mental block goes up. This is especially true with the subject of
math. Learning is no longer seen as an
enjoyable journey, but as a daunting, winding dark hallway that one is trying
to desperately escape. Going from
teaching 2nd grade to 5th grade terrified me, but now
that I am within this new and exciting environment, the uses for technology
integration are blaring and numerous as we dive within and maneuver the
curriculum.
A 2013 meta-analysis by authors Cheung
& Slavin that has spanned the past 30 years “determined that technology use
in the math classroom does make an impact on achievement, varied by contexts
such as duration of use, type of software, and student age” (Estapa, p.
40). Also, with the increase of technology
integration and acceptance within today’s schools, it is important to continue
discovering new ways to implement a variety of technology tools within the
classroom.
My
goal is to use technology tools, such as augmented reality, to strengthen
understanding of number and operational relationships in math. I
would like my students to be engaged as they take on a journey that, while
challenging, will be rewarding as they learn the relationships between
fractions and decimals and are able to apply their knowledge to real world
applications. My hope is this: that leading students on a journey through their
education as they harness their strengths and battle their weaknesses will keep
the kindled the flame of curiosity for learning.
Again,
my name is Jordan Harrison from the University of Houston, Victoria on the
subject of technology in the classroom.
References
Estapa,
A. & Nadolny, L. (2015). The Effect of an Augmented Reality Enhanced
Mathematics
Lesson
on Student Achievement and Motivation. Journal
of STEM Education, 16(3).
Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Engineering Education (LITEE).
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