How can teachers and educators prepare themselves and their students for using AR and VR in K-12 education?

1 Understand the benefits and limitations of AR and VR

Before you start using AR and VR in your classroom, you need to understand what they are, how they work, and what they can and cannot do. AR is a technology that overlays digital information or objects on the real world, while VR is a technology that creates a fully simulated environment that blocks out the real world. Both AR and VR can provide immersive and interactive experiences that can stimulate curiosity, creativity, and collaboration among students. However, they also have some limitations, such as technical issues, accessibility, cost, content quality, and ethical concerns. You need to weigh the pros and cons of each technology and decide how they can best fit your learning objectives and outcomes.

2 Choose the right tools and content for your students

There are many tools and content available for using AR and VR in K-12 education, but not all of them are suitable for your students. You need to consider the age, level, interest, and needs of your students when selecting the tools and content for your classroom. For example, you may want to use simpler and cheaper devices, such as smartphones or cardboard viewers, for younger or less experienced students, and more advanced and expensive devices, such as headsets or controllers, for older or more skilled students. You also need to choose the content that matches your curriculum, standards, and topics, and that is appropriate, relevant, and engaging for your students. You can use existing content from various sources, such as apps, websites, or platforms, or you can create your own content using various tools, such as software, cameras, or scanners.

3 Plan and design your lessons with AR and VR

Using AR and VR in your classroom is not just about adding some novelty or fun to your lessons. You need to plan and design your lessons with AR and VR in mind, and align them with your learning objectives and outcomes. You need to think about how AR and VR can support, enhance, or transform your teaching and learning strategies, and how they can foster higher-order thinking skills, such as analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and creation. You also need to think about how you will integrate AR and VR with other resources, activities, and assessments, and how you will manage the time, space, and equipment for your lessons. You may want to use a framework, such as SAMR or TPACK, to guide your planning and design process.

4 Prepare yourself and your students for using AR and VR

Before you introduce AR and VR to your students, you need to prepare yourself and your students for using them. You need to familiarize yourself with the tools and content that you will use, and test them beforehand to ensure that they work properly and smoothly. You also need to prepare your students for using them, by explaining what they are, how they work, and what they can expect from them. You need to set clear expectations, rules, and guidelines for using AR and VR in your classroom, such as how to use them safely, responsibly, and respectfully. You also need to provide scaffolding, support, and feedback for your students as they use AR and VR, and monitor their progress and performance.

5 Evaluate the impact of AR and VR on your students

After you use AR and VR in your classroom, you need to evaluate the impact of them on your students. You need to collect and analyze data on how your students use AR and VR, how they interact with the content and each other, how they learn from the experience, and how they achieve the learning objectives and outcomes. You can use various methods and tools to gather and interpret data, such as observations, surveys, interviews, quizzes, portfolios, or analytics. You also need to reflect on your own practice, and identify what worked well and what could be improved for using AR and VR in your classroom. You can use various frameworks and models to guide your reflection, such as Gibbs or Kolb.

6 Keep learning and exploring new possibilities with AR and VR

Using AR and VR in K-12 education is an ongoing learning journey for both teachers and students. You need to keep learning and exploring new possibilities with AR and VR, as they evolve and expand over time. You need to stay updated on the latest trends, developments, and research on AR and VR in education, and learn from the best practices and examples of other teachers and educators who use them in their classrooms. You also need to seek feedback from your students, colleagues, and experts on how to improve your use of AR and VR in your classroom. You also need to encourage your students to keep learning and exploring with AR and VR, and to develop their digital literacy, creativity, and collaboration skills.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?