Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality is one of the latest technological innovations that interweave virtual reality with physical reality. It is technological innovation that has the power to overlay computer graphics into reality; hence, help its users to see the real world and virtual imagery that is connected to the actual objects and places.
The primary difference with Virtual Reality is that, unlike virtual reality, which replaces the real human perception of their world with a simulated one, this technological innovation will help to improve people’s perceptions of their immediate surroundings.
Although this technological innovation has not been used in any learning environment, because it is partly real and virtual; hence, its ability to show required information at the required time and place using a special interface, this new technology is likely to be of great significance in the field of education.
It is a simple technological innovation that will help learners to observe their world using a handheld or head mounted display, that has the potential of seeing through or overlay graphics inform of a video of one’s immediate environment (Billinghurst, 2002, Para. 1-3).
In education this technology will be an import tool for most computer aided instruction, as they will give learners an opportunity to interact with the real world. In addition, this innovation is likely to encourage cooperation and engagement among learners more so in science subjects, as it will give them an opportunity of collaboratively observing 3-D models of any scientific information; hence, promote authentic and contextual learning.
This technology is also likely to improve group communication patterns by making learning livelier and easy, as learners will be dealing with physical objects, which in most learning scenarios are theoretical. Another significance of this technology in learning is that, this technology will give learners an opportunity to learn from any location, so long as their portable electronic gadgets such as phones have the application.
This technology will also give learners a chance of tracking their fellow learners or teachers in a crowd regardless of one’s location; hence, an important tool of facilitating learning (Billinghurst, 2002, p.1 and Shelton, 2002, P.1).
The iPhone Technology
Just like the Augmented Reality, the iPhone technology is like to revolutionize the education sector, because of the numerous applications that I-Phones have. The iPhone is one of the portable electronic gadgets with numerous internet applications that are underutilized. The IPhone is primarily an electronic gadget with a camera, multimedia player that is normally used for communication.
It has a big display screen that is able to rotate depending on the position at which it is held; hence, giving its user the flexibility of using it to access and read numerous pieces of information. Although this gadget was not designed to be used in schools, it has numerous applications, which are educational in nature; hence, if used in learning environments, it will be a very important learning aid (VanDrimmelen, 2007, p.1).
If used in learning environments, iPhones are likely to aid the concretizing of knowledge by learners and aid the learning process, because they usually have numerous reference materials, which can be either from the internet or from any stored data, it being also a storage device.
For example, the iPhone has applications such as “the brain blast and brain genius deluxe,” which can help to improve learners’ mathematical skills, reasoning, and memory capacity; hence, facilitate quick absorption of ideas. It has also other applications that can reinforce what learners learnt in classes, as these applications give learners the opportunity to create personal flash cards.
The iPhone is also a great promoter of distance and online learning programs, because they have application that can enable learners to access their online school accounts, module materials, and any other learning information and even seek assistance from their teachers via an online communication channels easily.
In addition to this uses, an iPhone can also help learners to store notes taken in class or sync their iPhones with their personal PCs; hence, learners can learn in any environment without having to carry notebooks and other data storage gadgets.
Therefore, if this like electronic gadget in allowed by to be used in learning environment, it will not only make learning easy, but also it will revolutionize learning environments; improve the delivery of education (VanDrimmelen, 2007, p.1).
References
Billinghurst, M. (2002). Augmented Reality in Education. New Horizons for Learning. Web.
Shelton, E. B. (2002). Augmented Reality and Education: current projects and the Potential for classroom learning. Web.
VanDrimmelen, J. (2007). IPhone- 3-features that will impact education from Edutechie.com. University of North Carolina. Web.