Augmented Reality with Aurasma

Augmented reality (AR) is the next step beyond QR Codes. With AR you create "targets" or "triggers" in the real world. When someone scans the real world with their device and hits a trigger, the live view is augmented by stored digital content called an overlay. This content could be a video, image, or sound file. AR is being used in museums, tourist attractions, and, of course, advertising. In the case of a museum, a patron can scan a statue and a video will open on the phone describing the history and importance of the statue. While the video is playing the patron can still see the statue. 

The application of AR for teaching an learning is in its early days. As it progresses more and more ideas of how to use AR will come out. Beyond simple identification and information pieces, AR could be used throughout the assessment, learning, and discovery processes. As always, I would like to see students using AR to create their own triggers and auras. How about having the students research a field trip site prior to going their and making the establishment of triggers and linking of auras to the actual location one of the goals of the field trip? 

One of the apps that can be used to create AR is Aurasma. Aurasma has two "parts", if you will. There is an app that is free and has iOS and Android versions. The app is for use on a smart phone and allows you to "scan" for triggers using the devices camera. In the non-commercial version of the app you are limited to creating triggers and overlays that you can view. However, on your chromebook, PC, or MAC you can use the free online Aurasma Studio to create and share your triggers with others. One important note is that in the non-commercial version other people's triggers will only work if you are following them. You can follow people through the Aurasma Studio interface. You do need to sign up for an account to make all this work, but accounts are free for non-commercial users. 

Aurasma Studio

The possibilities provided by AR are mind-boggling. Aurasma has some great examples on their site. This really is a technology you need to play with and discover ways to reach those learning objectives. What I really like about it is the way it links technology directly to the environment.

Using QR Codes in the Classroom

In my last post I wrote about how to create and read QR Codes. In this post I will suggest a few ways to use QR Codes in your class. As always with technology we focus on the learning first not the tool. 

Example 1: Scavenger Hunt en Francais.

A french teacher is using QR codes in her class. The learning objective is around students reading for understanding. The teacher creates a series of QR codes and links them to instructions written in french. The QR codes and instructions create a series of "paths" the students follow to complete the scavenger hunt. There are different "paths" depending which QR code is scanned first so no all students are following the same path. Once the students have tried a few of the scavenger hunts, they are asked to create their own scavenger hunts in groups using QR codes. These are then shared with other students.

Example 2: Science Bridge Building Fair. 

Students in a science class use QR codes as part of their Bridge Building Fair. Students are learning about forces acting on structures. Before the Bridge Building Fair, students work in groups to build and test bridges to learn about the forces acting on them. As they go through the process of building the bridges; videos, audio recordings, and notes are posted to a blog that captures each groups' learning. Students then create QR codes linked to their blogs. During Bridge Building Fair week, students put their bridges in the library with their QR codes attached. Other students, teachers, and parents visiting the fair can simply scan the QR code to get an in depth look at how the product was created and what was learned in during the process. 

Example 3: A New Technology is Delivered to the Classroom

The learning objective, in this case, is how to connect or used the device with existing devices in the classroom. A QR code is attached to the device. When it is scanned, a link to a web page is provided that gives step-by-step instructions, videos, documentation, and links to the help desk. 

Just three examples and I am sure you can think of many more. 

QR Code Creation with Chrome Extensions

QR Codes are those little boxes with tiny shapes inside them that you seen in many places today. QR Codes are used to provide links from the code to a page, image, text, or other information on the web. The QR Code next to this text was created using a chrome extension and links to this blog. 

QR Codes are made using a QR Code generator. Once a QR Code is created, you need a QR Code Reader to get the information it is linked to. QR Code generators come in various flavours. In this post, I want to focus on a Chrome Extension that will quickly create a QR Code for a web page you are viewing or present text that you have entered.

QR Code Icon

PixelOwner's QR Code Creator is an extension that you add to your chrome browser in the normal way.   Once you have added the QR Code Creator extension you simply navigate to the page you would like to share and click on the QR Code Creator icon. This will open a small dialogue box that shows the QR Code generated for the page you are viewing or you can type text in the text filed to add text. This is a very simply QR Code generator. You can snip or screenshot the QR Code and copy and paste it to a page or print it out. Then anyone with a QR Code reader can access that page or text. The QR Code on this page is a link to this blog. 
Download one of the many free QR Code Readers to your phone and try it out. Then try one of the many QR Code Creator extensions in Chrome

There are many inventive and engaging ways to use QR Codes in the classroom and that will be the topic of my next post. 

Post to Padlet From Chrome

Padlet is a poplar online space where people can post thoughts to virtual walls. Chrome has an extension that allows you to post links and pages directly to your padlet. To add the extension click to your chrome menu in the top right corner of your browser and then select More Tools > extensions. The search the store for padlet. Once you install the padlet extension you will be able to post directly from your browser to padlet. 

In the above screenshot I have just clicked on the padlet icon and these are the prompts you see. Of course, before you can use this extension you need to have a padlet account. To register for padlet, it's free, go here http://www.padlet.com

Explore in Google Sheets - Help Students to Visualize Data Management

Explore is a feature in Google Sheets that allows you to explore data visually at the click on button. If you are a data person you will love this feature. Students will appreciate how it handles their data. Think of the rich discussion you can have around how Google Explore handles data compared to they way a human would.

This link is to the official Google video explaining the features of Explore. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=24&v=9TiXR5wwqPs

Voice Typing in Google Docs

Voice Typing in Google Docs has arrived! No more need for third party extensions or add-ons. Voice Typing can be found in the Tools menu. The accuracy of voice typing is quite good. Like any speech to text engine accuracy can be affected by background noise. 

For more information on Voice Typing watch this video: 

https://drive.google.com/a/smcdsb.on.ca/file/d/0B3IAijVPFOJNX2o1YXE1OUJvcE0/view?usp=sharing

Share to Classroom

 Share to Classroom is a great extension that has been added to the classroom environment. This extension works with the chrome browser and allows you to share a webpage link without having to open classroom to do it. You just share the link right from your browser.

I have created a video to explain how you use Share to Classroom. You can view the video at this link: https://drive.google.com/a/smcdsb.on.ca/file/d/0B3IAijVPFOJNR1pwNEdsdWFzNjQ/view?usp=sharing

Calendar Integration with Classroom

You are now able to integrate a calendar with your Google Classroom(s). Teachers have been asking for this feature and Google has responded. 

A calendar that is created for the classroom will include assignment due dates. Apparently google is still working on having events on the calendar as well. Hopefully this will follow in short order. Full details of how to add a calendar can be found at the Google Classroom support site at 
                                       https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6272985?hl=en

                                           Note: If you do not have an assignment in your classroom yet, your calendar will be blank. 

A Busy Summer and Fall for Google Chrome Updates over the Summer and Fall

It has been a very busy time for updates to Google Chrome this year. Voice typing, Calendar integration and Share with Classroom at three items I will highlight in the next few posts. What is great about Google is they keep responding to teachers requests to add features we need to Google Apps for Education.