JUNE 11, 2017
With all the Edtech boom in education, sometimes it is difficult as a teacher to decide which experiences are best for our particular students with our own limited edtech knowledge and experiences. Recently I attended a COMPILE workshop at the invitation of Ms. Christy Cate.
The AR/VR in Education professional development was taught by Jaime Donally. Attendees learned both the difference between Augmented Reality versus Virtual Reality, and how to use different AR/VR resources such as Google Expeditions/ Google 360, Nearpod, Masquerade, Aurasm, Augthat, Stories, Traces, Storyfab, Eon Experience AVR. We had an opportunity to ‘play’ with these resources, learn how to implement them in our classrooms(as much as time permitted), and connected with other educators to share ideas.
Before this workshop, I was aware that virtual reality was common among gamers. However, I had not ever experienced VR nor did I understand what it was capable of providing. I was immediately struck by the potential benefit it could provide to English Language Learners, student with Special Abilities, as well as students from low-socio economic areas with a low probability of access to experiences other students may have. What do I mean by this statement?
Based on Piaget’s learning schemas theory, humans create meaning based on experiences or stimuli. Many of our at-risk youth either do not have strong learning schemas from experiences, or ineffective ones. Therefore, in education, we can close learning gaps by leveraging augmented/ virtual/ mixed reality and other resources to facilitate these schemas. In other words, we create the learning enviornment and our students create their own meaning. By leveraging these experiences to help scaffold learning, this provides a framework(framing the lesson) for student in which to connect new knowledge(Cain & Laird, 2011).
I would change the Fundamental 5 “Framing the lesson” concept to ‘Frame the Learning’. Rebecca Alder in her 2011 Edutopia article Are You Tapping into Prior Knowledge Often Enough in Your Classroom stated: “If we don’t ignite the prior knowledge of our students when we teach, we may fall prey to what the late Brazilian educational theorist Paulo Freire referred to as “the banking concept” in pedagogy — treating students as if they are empty vessels waiting to be filled with the knowledge of the teacher.” As teachers it is crucial to assist students in connecting new knowledge to prior knowledge, and help facilitate the creation of experiences in order for students to connect, share, apply, and create learning.
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Example:
What would this look like for an English language learner, or student with special needs? One example would include the use of augmenting conversions in mathematics. To further break down language barrier, AR can provide a 3D model of common conversions such as cups, pints, quarts, and gallons. In the blended learning model(which incorporates teacher led, technology stations, and hands on learning), students could use these AR/VR experiences to create design thinking projects which requires application of their learning. This not only supports language translation, it deepens understanding of content understanding by providing concrete-to- abstract experiences. Obviously, this is optimal for all students.
How do you use resources to help students form schemas and scaffold learning?
References:
Cain, S., & Laird, M. (2011). The fundamental 5: the formula for quality instruction. Place of publication not identified: Publisher not identified.
Development: Schemas, Assimilation, & Accommodation. 2013. ByPassPublishing. DOI:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj0CUeyucJw
