Augmented Reality in Education: The Newest Trend in Edtech

Traditional methods in education i.e Classroom & Bookish learning have become a thing of the past. Education system in India has become more digital in the coming days and is getting driven by technological and innovative ways.


And it is said that the education technology industry is expected to reach $680 billion by 2027 growing at an annual rate of approx. 18%.Among the most recent and significant trends in Edtech, Augmented Reality takes the leading position. Let's go in deep and know more about this newest trend that is emerging in Edtech.


Usage of Augmented Reality:

  • In recent times, Augmented reality in education serves a number of purposes. It helps the students easily grasp, process, understand to the core & remember the information. Additionally, Augmented Reality makes learning more engaging and fun to all. It is also not limited to a single age group or level of education, and can be used equally well in all levels of schooling; from pre-school education up to college, or even at work.
  • With Augmented Reality, students get to understand the concept in detail with more visual understanding and less of mugging up.

Benefits of Augmented Reality

  • Accessible learning materials – anytime, anywhere. Augmented reality has the potential to replace paper textbooks, physical models, posters, printed manuals. It offers portable and less expensive learning materials. As a result, education becomes more accessible and user friendly.
  • No special equipment is required. Unlike VR, augmented reality doesn’t require any expensive hardware. Because 73% of all teens currently own a smartphone, AR technologies are immediately available for use for the majority of the target audience.
  • Higher student engagement and interest. Interactive, gamified AR learning can have a significant positive impact on students. It keeps them engaged throughout the lesson and makes learning fun and effortless.
  • Improved collaboration capabilities. Augmented reality apps offer vast opportunities to diversify and shake up boring classes. Interactive lessons, where all students are involved in the learning process at the same time, help improve teamwork skills.
  • Faster and more effective learning process. AR in education helps students achieve better results through visualisation and full immersion in the subject matter. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? So, instead of reading theories about something, students can see it with their own eyes, in action.
  • Practical learning. Apart from schooling, professional training can also benefit greatly from the use of AR. For example, accurate reproduction of in-field conditions can help master the practical skills required for a certain job.
  • Safe and efficient workplace training. Imagine being able to practice in heart surgery or operating a space shuttle without putting other people in danger or risking millions of dollars in damage if something goes wrong. It is possible with AR.
  • Universally applicable to any level of education and training. Be it learning games for kindergarten or on-the-job training, AR isn’t limited to only one use case or field of application.

Challenges of Augmented Reality in Education.

  • Despite the listed benefits, there are certain pitfalls you should take into account when building EdTech solutions with augmented reality:
  • Lack of necessary training. Some teachers might struggle putting these new technologies into practice as their background training doesn’t provide the necessary skills. Only the most open-minded teachers and innovative educational institutions are ready to apply augmented reality apps in education.
  • Dependence on hardware. Using augmented reality in the classroom requires a certain resource base. For example, not all students have smartphones capable of supporting AR applications.
  • Content portability issues. The AR app you build needs to work equally well on all platforms and devices. However, it is practically impossible to provide the same quality of AR content on any device.

How Augmented Reality in education works?

  • AR is part of a larger Extended Reality concept, which also includes VR and MR technologies. Augmented reality enhances the real-world environment with text, sound effects, graphics, and multimedia. In other words, AR brings us an enriched version of our immediate surroundings by layering digital content on top of the graphic representation of the real world. The hardware for AR learning may be pretty basic, such as smartphone cameras for playing a popular PokemonGo game. Yet, the hardware in AR glasses like Google Glass, Dream Glass, and Vizux Blade are arguably more convenient for delivering AR to consumers. However, the AR content is generated with AR software, which is still mostly developed for a specific AR-hardware vendor and often sold with an AR hardware kit. Augmented reality in education and training has a wide array of uses and enables its adopters to learn-on-the go using real-time instructions.
    • Case Study: Augmented Reality
  • Despite a common misbelief, AR technologies offer so much more than chasing pokemon around town. Here are some outstanding examples of augmented reality in education. AR apps for kids It’s no secret, kids are eager adopters of groundbreaking technologies like AR. Some of the most ingenious augmented reality education apps are made for the youngest of users. Inspired by the success of PokemonGo, AR vendors are building apps that change the ways children read books, look at art and posters, learn science, and conduct classroom lab experiments. For example, NarratorAR teaches children aged 3-5 how to write in a fun and engaging manner. The app enhances letters they write with captivating special effects and makes handwriting a truly exciting experience.
  • Augmented reality in the classroom Probably, the most popular application for augmented reality in education is the use of AR apps directly in the classroom. In this case, they can help the teacher explain a subject, provide a visual representation of the material, and help students test out their knowledge in practice. Namely, you can find an AR app for almost any subject, including chemistry, geometry, zoology, grammar, and even programming.
  • Distance learning By using augmented reality, students can learn even outside the classroom. What’s more, online or distance learning can be easier and more efficient with AR-aided educational materials. For example, Mondly, a language-learning app, has recently integrated an AR-based virtual teacher to help users practice their skills as if they were in a real-life setting.
  • Marketing in education There is huge potential in AR technologies for marketing and advertising, even in the education field. A number of universities in the USA are already using AR tours to increase enrollment and help new students find their way around campus. For example, the Community College of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, uses augmented reality to deliver various types of content, including video, audio, and digital publications. Thus, the app provides a fun and informative way to explore the campus. The app also has gamification elements to make the experience even more engaging. AR for museums AR is increasingly used to enhance the museum experience for today’s audience that craves interactivity. By adding AR content to objects like statues and paintings, historic artifacts, documents, and architectural monuments; museums can create more engagement and boost the visitors’ interest in artistic or cultural heritage. One characteristic feature of AR apps for museums is that AR content can easily be accessed through the smartphone camera. For example, the botanical garden Jardin Botanique Grand Nancy in France offers users the ability to download a namesake AR app available for Android and iOS. During the AR-enhanced tour, visitors can view digital animals that seamlessly fit into the botanical garden scenery. Each of the digital animations is accompanied by educational audio content. On top of that, the app integrates over 20 fun games for kids and adults.
  • AR for professional training The average shelf-life of a particular professional skill is approximately five years nowadays, which means that organizations in both corporate and government sectors must educate and re-educate their employees on a regular basis. Here’s how businesses across industries are applying augmented reality for education and training in the workplace.
-Teams Spegz