Category: Augmented Reality

Apps, Augmented Reality, Education, K-12, Motivation, Teaching Tools, Videos

You Matter – with a bit of Aurasmatazz (Part 2)

Terri Eichholz

Never Forget that You Matter!

After getting a bit of a “Two Guys Bump” on their AR 101 video Tuesday, I thought I should give a progress update on the “You Matter – with a bit of Aurasmatazz” project (inspired by the work of Angela Maiers – who will be on the “Two Guys Show” in 2 weeks!).

Here are some obstacles I’ve encountered so far, along with possible solutions:

Videos sent in different file formats – I don’t know what other video formats work on the Aurasma app when using the iPad, but .mov is the one I’ve used for everything so far.  Solution:  If you get a file in a different format, which I have, and your computer does not have software to convert it, then Zamzar is a great online file converter.

Rotated videos – The weird thing is that several of the videos have played fine when I checked them on my school computer, but they rotated once I uploaded them in Aurasma Studio.  Some are sideways; some are upside-down.  I could not find a way to rotate the overlay (video) once it was in Aurasma.  Solution:  Go back and rotate the Trigger image outside of Aurasma, then re-upload it.  To avoid this happening, I would upload all of your overlays (videos) first, so you know which Trigger images you need to fix before you waste time uploading them. (UPDATE:  Here is another possible solution to rotated videos.)

Speaking of Trigger images…

Trigger images are not ideal – To get the Trigger images, I took screen shots from the videos the parents sent.  The picture quality is not great, so when I upload them to Aurasma, I get a warning.  So far, I’ve dismissed all of the warnings, and the Trigger images have worked fine.  So, you don’t need a solution to this one – hopefully. (The reason I used screen shots instead of pictures sent by the parents is that it looks more “Harry Potter-ish” if you use an actual image from the video instead of a photo taken out of context for your trigger image.)

Difficulty reaching parents which is causing me to hyperventilate – I finally got my last e-mail address today for a parent, and sent out the request.  So far, I have 7 videos (2 are from divorced parents for the same student) out of 47 students – and the deadline is Friday.  Solution:  Put it on the class blog, e-mail everyone again, and start getting out the phone numbers.  If I were to start my year over again:  Give the parents more time and/or invite them to an early parent meeting with the room set up next door and a volunteer to videotape them on the spot.  (That would actually have solved all of the above problems, too – wrong file format, rotated videos and bad trigger images.  Now I really wish I would have thought of that!)

Every video makes you cry – No solution for this except to stop being such a softy.  Seriously.  And, while we’re discussing that, stop bawling at that new Cheerios commercial, too…

One surprise that I’ve gotten so far – one parent, instead of just talking to the camera, did a short skit involving a stuffed animal with a whiteboard, and concluded the video in a costume.  It was very creative!

If I haven’t scared you off from trying this, here is a link to a PDF file or an MS Word file that I created for printing the screen shots/Trigger images (I used a Pages poster template to make this.)

Update:  See my conclusions about this project here.

Augmented Reality, Education, Gamification, K-12, Teaching Tools

Level Up!

Terri Eichholz

levelupboard

After seeing Jane McGonigal up close and personal with thousands of other people at ISTE this summer, I was more inspired than ever to integrate some gaming elements into my classroom.

I lamely attempted last year to implement a “Level Up” system with my 5th graders, where we would use Class Dojo points, and they would earn badges for certain things, and certain numbers of points in particular categories would give them new privileges.  It was one of those ideas that sounded so-o good in my head…

It flopped.  Not because the kids weren’t motivated – but mostly because I made the system far too complex to track.

So, I’m trying again this year, and I have simplified it immensely (though I am now adding my 3rd and 4th grade GT classes to the mix).

The picture shows a chart I created on a part of my magnetic dry-erase board that I never use because of the interactive board.  This is a “faux” chart since I haven’t started classes yet.  I want the students to have some input on the jobs and privileges at each level.  I brainstormed some of my own for now.  I bought a bunch of sticky magnets at the craft store so everything can be moved around.  I also purchased some printable magnet sheets that I will be using to print out the kids’ Class Dojo avatars (I made some paper examples for the purposes of this post).  I used Scotch Expressions removable tape to make the table borders.

The students will be helping me to decide how many points are necessary to achieve each level.  Part of their Genius Hour time will include “challenge cards” that will enable them to earn more points (or lose them).  They also earn points in class for displaying the 7 Habits, saying or doing something that makes me go, “Wow!”, or doing optional homework assignments.

And just to add a tad of technology to the mix, I am going to have the kids help me add some “heARt” to the jobs and privileges by using Aurasma to explain each one.  Then, when someone gets the job of “Class Photographer,” all he or she has to do is scan the sign to see and hear the job description.

Seems simple, right?

I hope I’m not writing another post a year from now bewailing everything I did wrong…

Here are some more gamification resources if you are interested:  http://www.classxp.org (sign up for their beta if you want to go all out!), Class Realm, Education Levels Up!  (kind of what I was trying to do last year – but I was way over my head) or my very measly 7-pin Pinterest board for Gamification of the Classroom.

The "Genius Bar" privilege is explained more here.
The “Genius Bar” privilege is explained more here.
Apps, Augmented Reality, Education, K-12, Motivation, Parenting, Teaching Tools

You Matter – with a bit of Aurasmatazz

Terri Eichholz
from Angela Maiers' "You Matter Manifesto"
from Angela Maiers’ “You Matter Manifesto”

This is a continuation to yesterday’s post about using Augmented Reality in the classroom.  (Don’t forget to watch the AR 101 Show tonight at 9 PM EST tonight!)  As some of you know, one of the uses of AR in education is to use it to explain something or share work.  For example, this music teacher posted about how she videotaped students performing, then hung up papers in the hallway that people could scan to see the actual performances.  Or, there are many examples that show students sitting in the classroom or taking work home, and scanning the paper for videos that explain the instructions.

This weekend I was trying to think of some other uses for Augmented Reality, and had a sudden inspiration that I immediately put into action.  (It’s possible I read about this idea on someone else’s blog, and my brain is claiming it as its own – so let me know if you have already posted about this.)

“What if, instead of the kids videotaping themselves for the parents, I have the parents videotape themselves for the kids?”

I am constantly inspired by Angela Maiers’ “You Matter Manifesto.”  I think that showing people they matter to you, especially your students, greatly increases understanding and motivation.

“What if I ask the parents to videotape themselves (secretly) telling their kids they matter, and ask them to send the videos to me?  Then, I will print out a screen shot from each video, and hook them together in Aurasma.  I will put the photos on each child’s desk when he or she comes to class, and let them scan the photos to see the parent’s special message.  We will put the photos in their folders, and they will always have that inspiration to look at, or even play, to motivate them in class for the rest of the school year.”

I immediately ran to the computer to compose a message to the parents for this special request.  (I was so excited that I did not realize there were a couple of typos in my e-mail.  NEVER send an e-mail to parents on a Saturday immediately after you’ve had a sudden burst of inspiration!)

Here is the corrected version of the e-mail I sent.

I sent the request Saturday.  No one responded. (FYI – I have about 45 parents on my e-mail list since I teach elementary GT.)

Monday morning, I fired up my laptop, and disconsolately checked my e-mail.  And there was the first parent video a father had created for his son, telling him how much he cares about him, and what he hopes his son will achieve this year.

I almost cried while I watched it.  And he isn’t even my dad!

This is not going to be easy.  At least 2 students have parents who don’t have e-mail, and possibly even more may not have the technology to videotape themselves.  Some may forget, or choose not to do it.  I don’t want any students to be left out, so I have offered to meet with any parent who wants me to create the videotape, and my backup (if e-mails and phone calls don’t get them all) is to ask a teacher to create the message.

But I really think it’s going to be worth it.

Update:  See how the project is going so far by clicking here– and learn some logistical problems you can avoid if you try this, too!

Update2:  See my conclusions about this project here.

Apps, Augmented Reality, Education, K-12, Student Products, Teaching Tools

This Product has heARt!

Terri Eichholz

This post is related to using Augmented Reality in the classroom.  If you are new to this, be sure to tune in to the “Two Guys Show” tomorrow, Tuesday, September 17th, at 9 PM EST as they discuss “AR 101.”  Drew and Brad have tons of AR resources on their site, “Two Guys and Some iPads,” if you are interested in just jumping in to the AR world.  Also, you can click here for my Flipboard Magazine on “Augmented Reality in Education.”

I have one more week before I start teaching again (as a Gifted and Talented teacher for our district, I have been testing the last three weeks).  I’m not sure this school year is going to be able to fit all of the ideas I’ve generated this summer and during my test monitoring sessions!

Augmented Reality is definitely going to be used a lot in my classroom this year, and I wanted to come up with a way for students and parents to identify items that can be scanned to deepen their experiences.  I mean, I plan to use AR quite a bit – but not on everything!  I don’t want kids dumping a bunch of papers on the kitchen table for parents to sift through, and then a parent misses a potential extension to a product that has been brought home.  Also, I don’t want people walking past a bulletin board without knowing its interactive capabilities.

So, I designed a logo (using the TypeDrawing app) to put on anything that incorporates Augmented Reality.  It says, “This product has heARt”  – the “heARt” standing for “handiwork enhanced by Augmented Reality technology.”

I will either add the logo to sheets that we plan to use for an AR project or affix small stickers that I have printed out with the logo.

I think it’s clear from the example that I am definitely not a graphic designer.  Feel free to borrow or improve upon this concept 🙂

I have included links to two graphics (one with just the heart, and one with the acronym explanation).

You can also download this example of the parent letter that I intend to send home.  For another parent letter example, as well as more tutorials and examples, visit this post from Erin Klein.

Parent Letter

ARheartacronym

ARheart