Innovative companies are leveraging augmented reality to teach astronomy, combining food with learning, developing adaptive algorithms that understand individual learning preferences and expanding upon Mrs. Frizzle’s Magic Schoolbus. New education initiatives are helping children, high-schoolers, college students and graduates learn in ways that are most conducive their individual learning patterns. It’s about injecting creativity into education, whether manifested in technology or more traditional, person-to-person environments.
Pocket Universe — Augmented reality has long-been the “next best thing,” but until recently, the technology didn’t have many practical applications. Apple’s iPhone presents a new world for developers to explore and innovate. Enter: the Pocket Universe iPhone / iPad app. Pocket Universe combines education with incredible technology and creativity to teach astronomy in an engaging and interactive way. Simply point your iPhone’s camera up to the stars and the iPhone’s accelerometer, GPS and compass work in tandem to create informational images over the camera view.
Fresc Co — In today’s busy, get-it-done-yesterday lifestyle, we have integrated eating into nearly every activity — from driving to business meetings, to watching sporting events. Why not learning another language? The Spanish restaurant, Fresc Co’s, is blending eating and language education for free. Two Barcelona locations partnered with the learning firm, English Metas, to host events whereby professional workers get together with English instructors over some food to teach everyday language and work situations. It’s a creative way to network with professionals, enjoy some delicious bites and of course, learn.
Knewton — No, the Knewton we’re referring to isn’t Apple’s first and only PDA device (spelled, Newton). Although both are pretty innovative. This Knewton is a test prep software for students. The online courses include adaptive learning programs, videos and can be used anytime. That means the software is completely suited for each student’s unique needs, learning process and schedule. Test prep courses include, GMAT, LSAT and SAT.
Medikidz — The Magic Schoolbus helped explain how the human body worked through a fun, creative and entertaining TV show for children. But how do you explain how your child’s uncle has leukemia, epilepsy or diabetes or even their ADHD works? The New Zealand-based Kidzcomics recently launched the comic book Medikidz to explain how such serious illnesses and diseases work, much in the same way Mrs. Frizzle did in the Magic Schoolbus. Kidzcomics aims to empower children through education to lessen the fear of such serious illnesses. Comic books are great, but when is the iPhone app coming out?
Prediction
Just as technology and creativity are changing the push / pull dynamic in advertising, the same will soon be true for education. The idea that an instructor dictates what, how and when students “learn” will soon be an antiquated way of teaching — replaced by a more dynamic system that considers not only the course material (which will still be curated by instructors) but the most effective learning techniques for individual students.
Image by Billy Alexander from Stock.Xchng
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