ARs and VRs - A Learner’s Journey from Information to Experience

To meet the needs of Gen-Z learners, it’s time to move away from rote learning concepts and practice a more interactive and participatory learning method that uses immersive techniques. Some forms of Interactive Learning Content like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality allow students and teachers to expand the physical world. While AR mixes the real and digital worlds, it’s a simple overlay of computer generated information, images and 3d content into a seamless visual experience, VR is a perception of being physically present in a non-physical world.  It is done by surrounding the learner with an environment, sound and other stimuli that provide a complete environment of imagination and interaction to increase engagement.

The advancement of these types of digital learning content can result in pedagogical effectiveness of the collaborative and experiential learning process. Motivation is a critical factor influencing the success and satisfaction of the learner. AR and VR technologies combine virtual and real worlds to give users a great visual experience, develop their creativity and sustain their motivation to perform better. The user feels accountable for his/her success and failure.

The scope is vast for this technology to be effectively used in transforming the way learners learn especially in subjects ranging from geography and history to art and craft. AR and VR aid experiential learning in many ways through reinforcing concepts and promoting total engagement in the learning process. Moreover, such technologies facilitate higher learning retention, for longer periods, and take students on a path of discovery wherein they apply the learning to their real life world.

A perfect example of using these immersive technologies in learning is in the field of medicine and more specifically Anatomy. Imagine a scenario where the students are learning to perform surgery through AR rather than learning through actual dissections. This not just allows students to learn by making mistakes but also saves significant amount of money in the practical approach. Prototypes and physical models are both extremely expensive and all types are not easy to procure. AR is the way forward here.

Another exciting area is in art and craft. Kids get excited to see their sketches come to life. Multiple AR based coloring apps are available, which use their own special coloring pages that become animated 3D characters in an interactive tabletop world.

AR and VR are currently trending in EdTech and the industry is experimenting with its optimum usage for K-12 and Higher Ed. Bett 2017- one of the biggest EdTech events in London will focus on AR and is hosting seminars for the same.

Many K-12 publishers today are not hesitant to invest in content and technology incorporating both AR and VR to meet the demands of schools and keep pace with the competition. Magic Software partners with global publishers to create immersive interactive content development for GenZ learners.AR and VR are here to stay. Are you ready with it?

Exploring the Real Need for Building a Custom Learning Platform in the World of Personalized Learning

Many schools, districts and states are looking for solutions aligned to their academic model. Need for getting customized learning solutions to meet individual needs of the learners arises from the fact that educators want a platform which could just do everything for them.  Educators weren’t really sure if they would be able to access rich program and assessment data to track the progress of the learner and do extension or remediation while teaching at different grade levels.  Existing platforms or solutions are not built to suit the needs of any one customer, school or learning style. Custom technology solutions step in here.

One of the challenges today is that existing technology available is closely aligned to instructional models whereas we aspire to transition from this phase to a phase of self-learning and diagnostic assessments. There has been a recent shift in focus from “What we want students to see” to “How can we intervene more rapidly to provide timely extension and remediation” which means learners are placed at the center of the entire learning process. Schools want to customize instructions to meet students’ individual needs and interests, while making them accountable for their own learning. What better way to do this than customizing the learning platform for adaptive learning.

Interoperability and elasticity are two important aspects to be built into any custom technology solution. Schools and districts wish to have systems in place that interact with each other through the incorporation of certain standards like QTI. This facilitates interoperability. Teachers also look for flexibility to be able to set their own grading scales. Though pre-built platforms certainly have features like progress and pace bar, educators today look for flexibility to create and control their playlists so students are free to go through those playlists at their own pace through self-directed learning

To build in this flexibility, many schools and districts have made the transition from readily available to custom built learning solutions to drive efficiency in the learning environment.