Blog 5 - Week 5 - Osmo Monsters and Zapworks and their inspiration!!!

Augmented Reality has evolved the way students learn in the classroom. With AR students are able to interact with digital content in real-time, improving their understanding of different concepts while making learning more engaging, effective and interactive

AR is used to create virtual field trips that effectively lets students explore different areas, countries and even space without ever leaving their desk in the classroom. It can also be used to create interactive simulations that let students experiment with different scenarios (Kesim & Ozarslan, 2012). It can also be used to create 3D models of complex concepts like molecules or human anatomy that lets students interact with them in a more tangible way.

Some great examples of Augmented Reality Technology are:

• Osmo Monsters

• Zapworks

Osmo Monsters

Osmo Monsters in the classroom is an innovative educational tool that assists students in their learning in real-time. This interactive game allows students to engage in fun and challenging activities that promotes visual learning and creativity. Mo, the friendly monster, interacts with kids and assists them to develop drawing skills, cognitive abilities and a drive to learn (Kewalramani et al., 2023). The technology tool provides a fun and engaging story for students which they can immerse themselves in and get into the headspace of thinking about what fun, nice, helpful tools could be drawn and created in order to make the story even more fun and exciting.

One key benefit of Osmo Monster in the classroom is its ability to personalise learning for each student. The game adapts to students' skill level, providing challenges that are appropriate to their abilities (Kewalramani et al., 2023). Thus, this helps students build confidence and encourages them to take risks and try new things.

Zapworks

Zapworks is able to nurture and develop curious minds by bringing learning materials and resources to life with a splash of colour and interactivity. It assists teachers create immersive learning experiences that go beyond traditional lectures or textbooks(Seely et al., 2015).

Engagement promotes active learning.Instead of absorbing information by reading a textbook, students are encouraged to experiment and draw different designs within the application which can be viewed in 2D or 3D models (Seely et al., 2015.). Students can create posters, presentations and projects that come to life when viewed through a smart phone or tablet. They can also design games, quizzes and stimulations that challenge their peers to think creatively.

References

Kesim, M., & Ozarslan, Y. (2012). Augmented Reality in Education: Current Technologies and the Potential for Education. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 297–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.654

Kewalramani, S., Palaiologou, I., & Dardanou, M. (2023). The Integration of Internet of Toys in Early Childhood Education: Research from Australia, England, and Norway. Taylor & Francis.

Seely, B. J., Creasy, A., & Doll, H. (2015). ZapWorks (Augmented Reality) Workshop.