Aurasma is an augmented reality application that allows you to overlay any video or image on top of anything that your tablet, cell phone, or any other mobile device can scan with its camera. Using Aurasma is very much like using a QR code reader. In order to activate the overlayed image or video, the object will be scanned using the Aurasma app.  Joseph covered using Aurasma in our iPad Appy Hour Webinar. Many of the demos you will see on the Aurasma site are for advertising but you can use these skills in a number of fun and exciting ways.

1. Interactive Word Walls

As your students are learning new vocabulary, you may try a number of different techniques for teaching these new words from comparing synonyms, analogies, etc. If you wanted to use visuals or have students “act out” the definition of words you can display the words and create an “aura” which will make Aurasma react and play the photo or video that you created.

2. Labeling of diagrams

Do you have that key poster or picture that you have on the wall, but when you give your students a test, they always check it for the answers to certain questions? Using Aurasma, you can have students use the app to identify key information when they study the picture but keep the answers away when it comes to testing.

3. An interactive journal or newspaper article

Have you ever seen the “Daily Prophet” from the Harry Potter movies or photos in an article of written text that play a video as you read it? Students can record anything using their mobile device’s camera, take a screenshot to place in a writing piece and then Aurasma can make that section come alive.

4. Classroom Rules

From younger to older grades, every classroom has established rules. Aurasma can allow you to have students create skits or display ways in which the rules are followed in the classroom. Other ideas are to show proper lab procedure, the way your classroom should be left at the end of the day, or how to properly care for classroom pets.

5. Parent Involvement

Since most of us carry a mobile device of some sort, have parents create words of encouragement to help students as they are having difficulty with certain subject matter use a video as a “pick-me-up.”

I hope this has given you some ideas for using Aurasma in the classroom. If you have any questions or if you want to share some of your ideas on using Augmented Reality in your classroom, please email our Professional Development department at training@teq.com or share your thoughts in the comments.