Izaac Silva

Augmented reality applications have been widely used as a form of training, skill development and assessment assistance through data that blend with the user's real environment , providing an environment for safe, efficient, and low-cost training and assistance. This work aims to present the methods used to develop an application for the recognition and evaluation of the user's ergonomic posture using a smartphone of the Tango project. Abstract-AplicaçAplicaç˜Aplicações de realidade aumentada têm sido larga-mente utilizadas como forma de treinamento, desenvolvimento de habilidades e auxilio de avaliaçavaliaç˜avaliação, por meio de dados que se misturam com o ambiente real do usuário, proporcionando um ambiente para treinamento e auxilio seguro, eficiente e de baixo custo. Este trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar os métodos utilizados para desenvolver um aplicativo para o reconhecimento e avaliaçavaliaç˜avaliação da postura do usuário utilizando um smartphone do projeto Tango.

Engaging learning environment for learning complex materials in higher education is difficult to perform because the contents are mostly theoretical and hard to visualize. This problem motivates the use of mobile augmented reality in this research. The objective of this research is to design and develop a mobile augmented reality application that can enhance the student's perception of the selected materials in computer organization and operating system course. The application was developed using three levels of knowledge (understand, apply, analyze) and involved the integration of video, audio, graphic and text information. The evaluation of the application using responses from 13 second year university students shows that this application can be used to enhance the students understanding and engage them in a group discussion for solving the given exercises. This application is expected to be a good start for learning complex materials in the selected course and can be extended to cover different levels of knowledge and subjects.

Augmented Reality (AR) provides new possibilities for simulating teaching environments, experiencing teaching processes and promoting teaching interaction through certain teaching approaches, including virtual-real blended, real-time interactive or three-dimensional immersive. This paper first briefly introduces the present research status of implementing AR in education and then illustrates the 3D AR learning environment and the long-distance augmented video system. Furthermore, we explain a specific case in which the convex lens image-forming experiment was adopted as the material and we conducted an interactive and integrated image-forming experiment using AR technology to improve teaching. The case study was mainly to investigate the learning attitudes of the experimental group students by using AR instructional applications and to compare the difference in the learning achievements of eighth graders with the convex lens image-forming experiment in two learning environments. The mean scores of the experimental group increased more significantly than the mean scores of the control group; however, there appeared to be no significant difference in the mean scores between the two groups in post-tests. In addition, most students were found to have positive attitudes towards using AR for their learning in physics courses: they believe that AR instructional applications hold their attention and increase their learning motivation in physics courses. The results show that this learning environment that blends reality with virtuality will greatly stimulate the learning interests of students and promote their level of activity, suggesting significant potential for this learning application in practice.

Positioned in the context of situated learning theory, the EcoMOBILE project combines an augmented reality (AR) experience with use of environmental probeware during a field trip to a local pond environment. Activities combining these two technologies were designed to address ecosystem science learning goals for middle school students, and aid in their understanding and interpretation of water quality measurements. The intervention was conducted with five classes of sixth graders from a northeastern school district as a pilot study for the larger EcoMOBILE project, and included pre-field trip training, a field trip to a local pond environment, and post-field trip discussions in the classroom. During the field experience, students used mobile wireless devices with FreshAiRÔ, an augmented reality application, to navigate the pond environment and to observe virtual media and information overlaid on the physical pond. This AR experience was combined with probeware, in that students collected water quality measurements at designated AR hotspots during the experience. We studied the characteristics of learning and instruction using measures of student attitudes, content learning gains, and opinions teachers provided via written and verbal feedback. We observed gains in student affective measures and content understanding following the intervention. Teachers reported that the combined technologies promoted student interaction with the pond and with classmates in a format that was student-centered rather than teacher-directed. Teachers also reported that students demonstrated deeper understanding of the principles of water quality measurement than was typical on prior field trips without these technologies and that students had expanded opportunities to engage in activities that resemble scientific practice. Overall, results of the students' surveys and teacher feedback suggest that there are multiple benefits to using this suite of technologies for teaching and for learning.