How can new technologies be brought into schools? Teachers are often critical of innovations such as augmented reality and virtual reality. But one example that might change their attitude comes from India. In Moorkanad near Valanchery, children jumped up with enthusiasm when their teacher had an elephant in the classroom. But there was no real elephant in the room. Instead, the school, which still has to resort to virtual teaching due to the COVID-19 situation, uses the possibilities of Augmented Reality to make its school lessons lively and creative despite the spatial distance.
In India, as in many other countries, schools are still closed due to the ongoing corona pandemic. However, such online sessions can sometimes have a difficult impact, especially on young children. The young pupils are quickly distracted and sometimes follow the lessons only inattentively. To change this, Shyam Vengalloor, a social studies teacher at the AEM AUP School, had the ingenious idea of introducing Augmented Reality into the classroom to support the students’ education.
“I went and told the KG teacher that everyone else had agreed and done their parts. So she had no way but to agree. And thus came the elephant into her class. Showing the KG class, I could convince the other teachers too”
The idea was so well received that other teachers now borrow the teaching materials to make their own lessons even more interactive. The videos have now gone viral and show the unique possibilities AR offers for education.
The example shows that teachers sometimes need to boldly explore new paths. Change, especially in areas that have long been untouched, is difficult. But the students deserve that as a teacher you use all possibilities to provide the best possible learning experience.
Post picture: The News
