Pokemon Go and Augmented Reality.

There is no doubt that Pokemon Go is hot right now, you cannot turn on a news report or drive down the road without seeing or hearing about someone Pokemon catching.
Man quits job to go pokemon hunting

So what is all the fuss about augmented reality and how can we capture that enthusiasm and fascination and use it in the classroom?

Augmented reality (AR) is a live view of a physical, real-world environment where some elements are augmented (or added to) by computer-generated additions such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. With the help of advanced AR technology, information about the environment and other objects are overlaid on the real world.

In simple terms, your device uses the camera and GPS (global positioning system) to show images of the real world while AR overlays other images, sound, information etc in response to your location or other triggers.

Here are a range of apps you can use in your classroom to bring AR to life and provide great motivation for writing and oral language.
Use the screen shot function on iPad or iPhone to capture the image and then have students write about it.

AR dinopark Bring ancient dinosaurs to life in front of your eyes! By making use of AR (Augmented Reality) let the ancient dinosaurs appear in various scenes taken by the camera as if they are alive. 

Dragon detector "Lift your device to fly, put down to land, push to walk and tap to breathe fire.  

Action Movie FX lets you add Hollywood FX to iPhone and iPad movies that you shoot.

If you are in Auckland your students may have been out exploring local parks already using an app. Dinosaurs spotted in Auckland parks.


QR codes are another way of inserting information, video or voice recordings into an image. You use a QR reader to activate or access the linked information - more info and examples in this blog including QR codes in Art and how to make a QR code treasure hunt.






Aurasma "Aurasma is changing the way we interact with the world."
Aurasma uses augmented reality (AR) to turn everyday objects, images, and places into new, interactive opportunities to engage with others.
5 ways to use Aurasma in the classroom
Ideas for using Aurasma in the Classroom

Have a go, try one of these with your class and see the magic come to life.