The Purpose Behind Using AR in the Classroom

AR for Grades K-5 Foundational Instruction

We know in the early years, students learn best through exploratory and purposeful play. This is a critical time for the development of core skills that will establish lifelong foundations. Using AR for K-5 instruction, creates an opportunity for cooperation, communication, and collaboration. Combining reality and fantasy allows for students to begin developing their critical thinking skills, in addition to empowering them to take control of their learning. Students are also offered the opportunity for self-directed learning, increasing their motivation, and teaching them focus and information retention. AR opens the door for students of all backgrounds and abilities to become creators.

• Review an example of an academic study where AR was used in a kindergarten classroom

• AR activities can include making observations of animals, talking about how living things adapt to their habitats, and exploring how sound is made, replayed, and recorded.

AR for Grades 6-9 Exploratory Instruction

Students continue to build their design thinking and foundational skills, in addition to learning computational thinking and digital literacy. Grades 6-9 curriculum also includes specialized areas of study, such as food studies and metalwork. Students begin to access their learning content through new delivery methods, like modularization.

AR activities provide students with a new perspective on abstract concepts in science and history, where they can interact with the content in a tangible way. For example, they can explore historical artifacts like an Egyptian Sarcophagus or interact with the solar system to understand how the movement of Earth is relative to the Sun. In English, AR provides new experiences that inspire students to express the AR world in spoken and written language. They can examine how words can evoke powerful images.

• Review this informative article on how K-8 teachers are using AR in the classroom for various subjects

AR for Grades 10-12 Specializations Instruction

Students can choose to specialize in a specific subject area or explore broader topics of study. Students are empowered to personalize their learning by pursuing interests that are relevant to them.

AR creates an opportunity to further engage students in all disciplines, especially in STEM. AR not only makes the content more accessible and engaging, but unlocks hard to understand concepts, by helping students visualize how to build connections into their own AR creations.

• Review this scholarly research on the impact of augmented reality lessons on students’ interest in STEM in secondary school

• Activities can include students describing the structure of DNA and understanding the implications of our increased knowledge of genetics or they can explore a red blood cell in three dimensions

The Resource of AR Apps

The AR Apps Index is an active table that collects and shares current AR apps. This index will help provide additional curriculum connections. Scroll through the table to discover engaging AR apps. If you find engaging AR apps that are not listed in the table, please fill out the Google Form at the bottom of this page to contribute to this AR App Index.