AR simulations allow students to learn content while
collaborating face to face and interacting with a multimedia-enhanced version of the world around them. Although
the technology may seem advanced, AR software makes it
easy to develop content-based simulations that will captivate your students while teaching them standards-based
content. (See the “Building the Program” section beginning
on page 19 for information about AR software.)
The scenario above describes an actual classroom lesson using Alien Contact, a middle school mathematics AR
simulation ( tinyurl.com/3bvow7) that focuses on the mathematical concept of proportional reasoning. However, AR
can work for any content area. In fact, we also developed
an English language arts version and a combined math/
language arts version of Alien Contact.
After conducting 17 implementations, mostly at urban
public middle schools in or around Boston, Massachusetts,
USA, during the 2007–08 school year, we determined that
AR increases academic engagement by tapping students’
interest in mobile devices, differentiates instruction by
personalizing information or tasks for students, and creates
situated learning experiences. Here is the process we used
and some things to keep in mind if you want to create your
own AR simulations to use with your students.
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Concept Development
Before you start building your AR simulation using software, you will want to plan out the storyline, activities,
and curriculum.
Storyline. To conceive an AR learning simulation, you
could start with an authentic problem, an engaging
storyline from which content-based tasks can emerge,
specific content, or some combination of these. Because
AR enhances reality, we recommend beginning with an
authentic problem, which allows you to nest content
within an engaging story. MIT, for example, created a
game where students determine a source of polluted
drinking water, using the nearby Charles River as their
game space. At some locations, students viewed digital
interviews with scientists, and at others they virtually
tested water samples.
To develop Alien Contact, we began with a storyline (an
alien crash), content goals (proportional reasoning), and
digital age skills (collaboration, communication, and problem solving). It was challenging to develop mathematical
tasks that simultaneously furthered the storyline, supported student content learning and digital age skill development, and engaged students in the simulation. So, to keep
content central, we created a document that provided overarching learning goals and detailed the tasks and learning
goals for each day of the unit.
Role differentiation. AR lets you personalize the game for different students or groups of students by storyline, information, and content-based tasks. Although complex to design,
simulations with differentiated roles can make the content
accessible and challenging while strengthening communication and collaboration skills for all learners. Roles can
allow for a jigsaw approach, with each student receiving
different information that they must share for the group to
proceed in the game.
AR software allowed us to create up to four versions of
our simulation using different scripts for each role that correspond with each student’s skill level (although we later
found that groups of three are easier to manage). For example, the chemist received more challenging mathematical tasks, and the hacker received more guided tasks. At
one school, we developed an audio version of the game for
a visually impaired student.
To ease the planning of role differentiation, use tables to
storyboard the content and narrative contributions of each
role, and consider using self-contained activities, such as
the Wing Model task described below.
Tasks. Alien Contact included a number of tasks designed
to engage students in a virtual mystery while motivating them to practice proportional reasoning skills. For
example, in the Wing Model task, teams track a digital
marker on their mobile devices to a wing model, which is
actually a latex triangle on the ground (see “Wing Model
Task” on page 18). Once a team finds the model, the computer hacker’s device displays a document offering a math
problem that, when solved, will allow her to “hack” into a
CIA database. She learns that, if the ratio of the hypotenuse
of the wing to its shortest side is 5: 3, the wing belongs to a
military craft. From his mobile device, the chemist learns
that the wing model has been measured with safety pins
that are 1. 5 inches long. The group studies the markings on
the model itself to determine the dimensions of the wing
and compare it with the given ratio.
After collecting data outside, the students move inside
to analyze it. This is when they determine the aliens’ inten-
tions, justifying their position with mathematical evidence.
Content. Including thoughtfully developed curriculum content transforms a merely engaging activity into a positive
student learning environment. The Alien Contact curriculum guide provides daily mathematical and digital age skill
objectives, a solution key, and teaching suggestions, such as
advising students to share strategies.
It is important for teachers to emphasize content and
provide adequate time for students to think about it. If you
are developing a game for teachers, elicit their feedback
about the quality and accessibility of the content-based
tasks so you can make improvements for future classes. In
