The concept of augmented reality has begun to appear in both computer and mobile apps. The 2011 Horizon Report by New Media Consortium and EDUCASE recently defined this technology nicely, claiming “Augmented reality refers to the layering of information over a view or representation of the normal world, offering users the ability to access place-based information in ways that are compellingly intuitive.” While this technology is exciting in many arenas, it has particular application in the field of education.

            PBS Kids has been an early adopter of augmented reality. On November 14, 2011 PBS Kids announced the launch of its first educational augmented reality app for iPhone and iPod Touch. The press release explained, “Lunch Rush opens a new world of learning by teaching kids ages six to eight math skills, like addition and subtraction, while blending the virtual and real world into a truly engaging experience.”

          The launch of such an app presents a number of exciting opportunities to the field of education. According to the aforementioned 2011 Horizon Report, “Augmented reality brings a significant potential to supplement information delivered via computers, mobile devices, video and even the printed book.”The Lunch Rush app realizes some of this potential in a fun world inhabited by Ruff Ruffman, the star of the hit PBS Kids show “Fetch!”The Lunch Rush app realizes some of this potential in a fun world inhabited by Ruff Ruffman, the star of the hit PBS Kids show “Fetch!”

          In the game the loquacious and witty canine is tasked with collecting the lunch orders for his studio crew. The challenging part is keeping track of all the sushi. Players use augmented reality markers (printed handouts) that direct activity within the app. Lunch Rush also utilizes 3-D images to underscore early algebraic concepts. This helps the players connect between real objects and their corresponding numeric symbols.

          “FETCH! Lunch Rush” is part of a larger suite of applications available at PBS Kids Lab that reinforce educational concepts. While the “Fetch!” group of apps offers six to eight year olds training in such skills as spatial sense, measurement, addition and subtraction; other apps on the site target preschoolers and strengthen their skills in letters, words and numbers.

          PBS Kids is not alone in recognizing the educational potential of this technology. For instance, technology journalist Audrey Watters maintains the site Hack Education, which features links to some compelling augmented reality apps. One app named LookBackMaps uses a mobile’s GPS to link to historic photos of the user’s geolocation so they can see what the area looked like in the past.

           Additionally, a number of research projects have been exploring the capabilities of augmented reality. Harvard Graduate School of Education researchers joined with others a few years ago in the Handheld Augmented Reality Project to develop a game to teach math and science to middle school students. The game uses GPS to correlate the students’ real location to their virtual game location.

          Ultimately, the payoff for augmented reality apps in education will be profound. The overlay of data on the real world  will allow students to discover connections between their lives and education through a contextual layer. This technology can blur the borders between formal and informal learning contributing to an education that transcends institutions. As a result, games and apps using augmented reality hold great promise in academic endeavors.

           Augmented reality is a development about to burst onto the main stream of computing. Its uses in practical applications are limited only by the imaginations of clever developers.

Continued development such as that accomplished by PBS Kids bodes well for the expansion of augmented reality in higher education and learning in the coming years.