1. Assignment 2 PowerPoint Presentation
So this is my PowerPoint presentation for assignment 2.
by:
Bryan Brown

2. The objectives of this presentation are:
SMART Objectives
You will be able to identify by name the augmented reality technology the author found interesting; why it was found interesting; and the possible encountered challenges of using it and their possible solutions by the end of the presentation.
You will be able to identify by name the online game the author enjoyed playing; its learning objectives; and possible ways it could be modified to increase learning by the end of the presentation.
The objectives of this presentation are:
Viewers of the presentation will be able to identify by name the augmented reality technology the author found interesting; why it was found interesting; and the possible encountered challenges of using it and their possible solutions by the end of the presentation.
Viewers of the presentation will be able to identify by name the online game the author enjoyed playing; its learning objectives; and possible ways it could be modified to increase learning by the end of the presentation.

3. Virtual learning environments and Augmented reality
Which technology did I find interesting?
Between the virtual reality and augmented reality technologies available for us to chose for this assignment, which particular type of technology did I personally find the most interesting.

4. Augmented Reality
Among the Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality technologies available for me to chose, the technology I found interesting was an Augmented Reality application
Between the two types of available technologies the one I found the most interesting was an augmented reality app.

5. Aurasma
The Augmented Reality app I found interesting was called Aurasma.
Aurasma is an augmented reality app that is changing the way millions of people see and interact with the world.
Visit the Aursma
The Augmented Reality app I found interesting was called Aurasma.
It is an augmented reality app that is changing the way millions of people see and interact with the world.

6. Why it’s Interesting
Uses augmented reality to blend the real-world with rich interactive digital content through the use of videos and animations.
Turn everyday objects, images, and places into new, interactive opportunities so you can engage with others through striking graphics, animation, video, audio, and 3D content.
Its free.
The reasons I find Aurasma interisting is the fact that it is an app that uses augmented reality to blend the real-world with rich interactive digital content through the use of videos and animations, (which the app refers to as Auras).
In addition, it also allows you to turn everyday objects, images, and places into new, interactive opportunities as a way to engage with others through the use of graphics, animations, videos, audio, and 3D content.
And lastly, its free to download and use.

7. Features
Create and share the augmented realities they create with their students.
Students can subscribe to created Aurasma channels.
Create Auras for educational purposes using the thousands of available digital animations from the app’s library or personal photos and videos.
Available for Android, iPhone and iPad.
For teachers and instructors Aurasma offers the following features:
It allows them to create and share the augmented realities they create with their students to bring lessons to life.
Allows students to subscribe to the Aurasma channels their teachers create.
They can create Auras for educational purposes using the thousands of available digital animations from the app’s library or use their own photos and videos.
and lastly, it is available for download on Android, iPhone and iPad.

8. Learning Opportunity
Aurasma can be used to transform the content presented in paper handouts into information that is interactive, more in-depth and transformative. This will provide opportunities of learning for students that better keeps them engage and excited about learning because the content is more dimensional and they can actually interact with it.
Instead of giving students stagnant paper handouts to supplement their learning of specific content in the form of simple textual information and images, Aurasma can be used to transform the content presented in these handouts into information that is interactive, more in-depth and transformative.
Content presented to students in such a way will provide opportunities of learning for students that better keeps them engage and excited about learning because the content is more dimensional and interactive.

9. Applying this Technology
I would apply and use Aurasma with a scavenger hunt activity by creating an Aura using animations, audio, videos, and/or graphics for each of the student services departments available at the college where I work. Each Aura would provide necessary information for students to successfully answer questions about the student services department in which it is for. When done, I would place each Aura at the location on campus where the department it is for is physically located. I would incorporate the educational theory of situated cognition, specifically learning communities to facilitate the learning activity. By placing students into small groups so that they can collaborate and work together to locate the Aura’s for each student services department and complete the scavenger hunt activity.
In the Psychology 1300 courses, first time students are required to take at the college where I work, instructors have their students complete a scavenger hunt activity. For this activity students are given questions to answer about the various student services departments available to them at the college. The students then have to go around campus to find the location of these departments to obtain necessary information about them to correctly answer the questions that were given to them for the activity.
I would apply and use Aurasma with this specific activity by creating an Aura using animations, audio, videos, and/or graphics for each of the student services departments, that provides the information students need to successfully answer the questions for the activity. When done, I would place each Aura at the physical location on campus where the student services department it is for is located.
I would then incorporate the educational theory of situated cognition, specifically learning communities, to facilitate the learning activity. This educational theory will be included because I would place the students into small groups so that they can collaborate and work together to complete the activity. Once the groups are formed, the students would download the Aurasma app and as a group they will use it during the activity to locate the Auras for each student services department, which will contain the information they need to answer the questions for the activity.

10. Challenges & Solutions
Challenge: If implemented and used in a classroom, every student may not have access to an iPhone, iPad, or Android device to download and use Aurasma. Solution: Whenever it is used in the classroom, students should be place into groups where at least one person in the group as access to either an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Teachers/Instructors may be interested in implementing and using Aurasma in their classrooms but are uncomfortable with their technical understanding of how to use. Provide manuals and training workshops to assist teacher/instructors with learning how it works and how to properly use it. Excessive and unwarranted use of Aurasma for instructional/learning purposes which could cause disruptions to learning and student engagement in learning. Do not use it for the sake of using it just because it is a cool technology. Ensure that it is only used when its use is warranted and will provide meaning to overall instruction/learning.
The first challenge that might be encountered using Aursma is that If implemented and used in a classroom, every student may not have access to an iPhone, iPad, or Android device to download and use Aurasma.
This can be overcome by placing students into groups where at least one person in the group has access to either an iPhone, iPad, or Android device to download the app and use it.
A second challenge that might be encountered is that Teachers/Instructors may be interested in implementing and using Aurasma in their classrooms but are uncomfortable with their technical understanding of how to use.
A way to overcome this challenge is to provide manuals and training workshops to assist teacher/instructors with learning how Aursma works and how to properly use it.
A 3rd and final challenge that might be encountered is the Excessive and unwarranted use of Aurasma for instructional/learning purposes which could cause disruptions to learning and student engagement in learning.
This can be overcome by not using it for the sake of using it just because it is a cool technology, but only using it when its use is warranted and will provide meaning to overall instruction/learning.

11. Online Educational Gaming
Which game did I enjoy?
Now onto online gaming.
From among the online educational games available to us to chose from for this assignment, which particular game did I enjoy the most.

12. Map Games
Among the online educational games available for me to chose, the one I enjoyed the most was a Map Game.
From among the different types of online educational games the one I enjoyed the most was a map game.

13. https://education.maps.com/games/alienz-map-game/
Alienz Game
The online educational map game I enjoyed was Alienz.
The Alienz game can be accessed and played by visiting the following link:
The map game I enjoyed the most was called Alienz.

14. Objectives
The primary objective of the Alienz game appears to be to help learners identify on a world map the location of various countries.
The objective of the Alienz game appears to be to help learners identify on a world map the location of various countries.

15. Learning Theories
The learning theories that appear to be applied to the game are behaviorism and possibly constructivism. Behaviorism: Players perform a measurable action by selecting on a world map the location of a country given to them, and feedback is given based on their correct or incorrect selection. Constructivism: Players build on their past knowledge and understanding of world countries and their locations in order to successfully play the game.
The learning theories that appear to be applied to the game are behaviorism and possibly constructivism.
Behaviorism appears to be applied do to the fact that players perform a measurable action by selecting on a world map the location of a country given to them, and feedback is given based on their correct or incorrect selection.
Constructivism also appears to be applied as a result of players having to recall and build on their past knowledge and understanding of world countries and their locations in order to successfully play the game.

16. Age Group
The intended age group for the game appears to possibly be elementary-aged school children and even middle-school aged children.
The intended age group of the players of the game appear to possibly be elementary-aged school children and even middle-school aged children.

17. The topic in which the game is designed to address is world geography.
Learning Topic
The topic in which the game is designed to address is world geography.
The learning topic in which the game is designed to address seems to be world geography.

18. User Interface
The Alienz game utilizes an appropriate array of different colors to make it visually appealing.
It utilizes animations to keep learners engaged in the game.
The text used complements the overall outer space/alien theme of the game.
Navigating the game is simple and easy.
The images used coincide with the overall topic and theme of the game.
The user interface of the Alienz game utilizes an appropriate array of different colors to make it visually appealing. It also utilizes animations to keep learners engaged in the game. The text used complements the overall outer space/alien theme of the game. Navigating the game is simple and easy. The images used coincide with the overall topic and theme of the game.
The combination of all these aspects of the user interface of the game make it very appropriate for both its intended audience and the topic of world geography in which it covers.

19. Graphics and Animations Higher Level Thinking Skills
Evaluation Rubric
Criteria
Unsatisfactory
0 points
Satisfactory
3 points
Exemplary
5 points
Score
Organization and Design
Graphics and Animations
Graphics and/or animations used are irrelevant, inappropriate for the intended audience, cluttered or randomly placed together causing visual distractions, and do not look good.
Most of the graphics and/or animations used are relevant, appropriate for the intended audience, are not cluttered or randomly placed together causing visual distractions, and look ok.
All of the graphics and/or animations used are relevant, appropriate for the intended audience, are not cluttered or randomly placed together causing visual distractions, and look terrific.
User
Interface
Design
There are no graphic elements and variation in layout, and/or the colors interfere with the readability.
There are some graphic elements and limited variation in layout, and/or the colors for the most part do not interfere with readability.
There are multiple graphic elements and variation in layout, and/or the colors do not interfere with readability.
Navigation
Game navigation is confusing and cumbersome, and important information is hard to find.
Game navigation is somewhat confusing and cumbersome, and important information is slightly hard to find.
Game is well-developed and easy to navigate, important information is easy to find and follow.
Instructional Design and Delivery
Goals and Objectives
Goals and/or learning objectives are not present and/or unclear.
Some goals and/or learning objectives are present and/or clear.
Goals and/or learning objectives are clearly present and clear.
Higher Level Thinking Skills
Does not provides activities that promote learners use of higher level thinking (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
Provides some activities that promote learners use of higher level thinking (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
All activities provided promote learners use of higher level thinking (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
Learning Styles
Does not provide activities that address the various learning styles (auditory, kinesthetic, textual and/or visual).
Provide some activities that address the various learning styles (auditory, kinesthetic, textual and/or visual).
All activities presented in the game address the various learning styles (auditory, kinesthetic, textual and/or visual).
Gameplay
Rules
Rules are NOT clearly stated and presented.
Some rules are stated but they are vague.
Rules are clearly stated and presented.
Feedback
No opportunities are provided for learners to receive feedback on their performance.
Some opportunities are provided for learners to receive feedback on their performance.
Frequent opportunities are provided for learners to receive feedback on their performance.
Subject
There is no subject or topic presented for the game.
The subject or topic presented for the game is somewhat vague.
The subject or topic presented for the game is clearly stated.
Motivation
The game's motivational components are vague and unconvincing.
The game's motivational components are somewhat clear and convincing.
The game's motivational components are clear and convincing.
This is the evaluation rubric I created for online games. It consist of a 3 level rating scale consisting of unsatisfactory which is 0 points, satisfactory which is 3 points, and exemplary which is 5 points.
There are 3 categories of criteria:
Organization and Design which contains the criterion graphics and animations, user interface design, and navigation.
Instructional Design and Delivery which contains goals and objectives, higher level thinking skills, and learning styles.
And lastly, Gameplay which consists of rules, feedback, subject, and motivation.

20. Modify the Game
I would add additional gameplay levels to increase learning and make the game better. Example: Add a level to the game where students are given a world map and asked to identify the various continents of the world.
Instead of having the game end once a player correctly identifies each of the countries given to them, I would modify the game by adding additional gameplay levels to increase learning and make the game better.
For instance I would add a level to the game where students are given a world map and asked to identify the various continents of the world.

21. Game Recommendations Articulate Storyline
To create story-based and simulation games for educational and learning purposes.
Kahoot
To create interactive quizzing games, on various educational subjects, which can be played on computers and mobile devices in the classroom.
I would recommend using Articulate Storyline, to create simple story-based and simulation games for educational and learning purposes, which is what I currently use at the college where I work.
I would also recommend the use of Kahoot to create interactive quizzing games, on various educational subjects, which can be played on computers and mobile devices in the classroom.

22. Summary
In conclusion, Aursma is an augmented reality app that is changing the way millions of people see and interact with the world. There are numerous things about the app and its features that would make it interesting to both educators and students. Even though challenges might be encountered when using it, with determination and dedication they can be easily overcame. In addition, Alienz is a cool interactive map game to aid elementary and middle-school aged kids with developing their world geography knowledge and skills. It has a user interface that is visually appealing and keeps players engaged. Eventhough it is a great game there are ways upon which it can be improved. In the end, I truly found Aursma and Alienz to be quite interesting.

23. References Aursma’s website: https://www.aurasma.com/
Alienz website:
Teacher Tube video:
TeacherTube link:
Coursework server link:
Assignment 2 PowerPoint: