Tech Tips: Augmented and Virtual Realities

In This Issue Our New Homepage What's New for 2019 Spring Classes Featured Courses: E-learning for Educators and Trends and Issues in Instructional Design Featured Resources: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in Training and the Classroom Tech Tip: 25 Resources for Bringing AR and VR to the Classroom Editor: Dennis O'Connor This e-newsletter is brought to you by University of Wisconsin-Stout College of Education, Hospitality, Health, and Human Sciences. If you do not wish to receive future issues, please see instructions to manage preferences at the bottom of this message. See What's New! Check out the new website. 2019 Spring Classes with Openings!  Courses are filling fast. Sign up soon!  Featured Online Courses EDUC 760 E-learning for Educators  January 7 - March 1, 2019 Our Students Say... "She is an excellent example of an online educator, and I will take this experience and attempt to mirror it in my future teaching. Her style of using YouTube videos for visual instruction was very helpful.” EDUC 765 Trends and Issues in Instructional Design January 7 - March 1, 2019 Our Students Say... "I got a job!!  Whooohoooo!  It's perfect for me as well. I am hired by Executive Director, Inc., and I'll be the instructional designer for their client, an organization called The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC).  I taught biology and chemistry as a teacher for the last 17 years, and this will be absolutely fascinating. I would not have been able to make this transition without the UW-Stout ID Certificate." ~ Julia Cabaniss, Thiensville, Wisconsin

Sign Up Now Online Course List Courses begin in January and February. If you need a copy of the syllabus for your employer to approve enrollment in a course, email:  vanderveldej@uwstout.edu Phone: 715-232-2693 Dates to Remember Spring Tuition Due Date February 27, 2019 - 100% Tuition Due Tech Tip 25 Resources for Bringing AR and VR to the Classroom  Here are ISTE’s quick start recommendations for VR/AR headsets, apps, maker tools, virtual tours, STEM programs, and curriculum. As always, ISTE has a fresh book to guide you to successful implementation: Learning Transported  Guess How Many People Follow Us on Facebook? Connect with us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlineprofessionaldevelopment/

Featured Resources Immersive Technology: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in Training and the Classroom Key Concept: “AR = Places objects where you are, VR = Takes you to new places.” Jennifer Albat AR/VR: How Immersive Learning Technology Is Bringing Education and Training Into the Future Seeing is believing. Mariel Cariker's article is packed with videos that show you immersive technology in action. The videos help you grasp the complex vocabulary of this technology. Step into workforce training, healthcare, international hospitality, gaming, k-12 expeditions, workplace productivity, and university science labs. Don’t miss Michael Bodedaer’s inspiring TED talk on VR in science education at the end of the article. Can AR/VR Improve Learning? Integrating Extended Reality Into Academic Programs While it is easy to get caught up in the WOW factor, there are practical issues to consider. This illuminating #DLNchat summarized by Michael Sano captures the provocative thinking of ed-tech educators, university professors, and researchers brainstorming about accessibility, costs, best practices, and academic realities. 8 Innovative Ways To Use AR/VR Technologies In Online Training Looking for a way to distinguish your work? Instructional designers and online trainers will quickly see eight opportunities in this engaging branch of online training. Innovation: Creating and Learning in AR, VR Rachelle Dene Poth teaches Foreign Language and STEAM at a junior/senior high school and shares her story about working with virtual reality platforms. The opportunity to “create, collaborate, problem-solve and be curious” triggers the enthusiasm and engagement of the maker movement to motivate both teachers and students. Inspiring! Begin your Masters Apply Today! Degree Overview and Financial Aid Options Our Master of Science in Education is a 30-credit master’s degree that features all online courses and offers a flexible curriculum to meet your professional development goals. Select courses (11 credits) within an interest area, earn a certificate, or mix and match courses from several areas.

Augmented Reality: Welcome to the E-Learning Holodeck!

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


Click Enter Full Screen for Maximum Impact!




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/