DOST Science Education Institute Strategic Intervention Material for Teaching with Augmented Reality Workshop
With the increasing technological advancements in the world, education also adapts to keep up with the demands of the modern digital age. The Department of Science and Technology Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) is constantly developing new avenues to make teaching and learning more engaging, interactive, and accessible through innovative approaches and tools.
It has come to a point where the existing traditional learning resources and curriculum are not sufficient to fully equip students with the currently relevant knowledge and expertise. DOST-SEI is currently working on broadening the scope of implementation of the 21st Century Learning Environment Model (21st CLEM), which aims to “support the development of 21st-century skills and bridge the technological gap between teachers and students”. The four common core skills they use as foundations of the model are the 4Cs: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Among the components of the 21st CLEM, “Virtual and Augmented Reality Tools for Teaching and Learning” and the use of “Powerful Tools for 21st Century Teaching and Learning” cover all four core skills.
As an example of the employment of VR and AR, the Strategic Intervention Material for Teaching with Augmented Reality (SIMATAR) kit was distributed and presented. This includes a textbook set consisting of five volumes and a shared tablet where the accompanying applications are installed.
Participants, including both adults and students, found the experience of using SIMATAR enjoyable, as it transformed learning from merely reading textbooks to interactive engagement through simulated displays on tablets and phones. We were able to “touch” the animals, watch them move and eat, and even flip them upside down using the provided SIM cards. Although I also found this new learning tool fun, there are some areas for improvements that can cater to a larger number of students and accommodate more learning resources efficiently. For instance, the high battery consumption of the app during the simulation viewing session resulted in overheating issues with the phone. This may be a potential problem for students since not everyone has the means to purchase a phone that is less likely to overheat, should it be the problem of the phone model. Another improvement that can be made is the compilation of applications into a single app instead of separate ones per lesson. Installing multiple apps to be able to use SIMATAR might be challenging since students will need to install every time there is a new lesson. It would be better if there is only one main app either for a grade level, a subject, or a unit lesson, to lessen the storage consumption.
Through innovations such as SIMATAR, students are afforded the opportunity to engage with educational content in dynamic and immersive ways, preparing them for success in the fast-paced digital era.
