News release

App Provides Augmented Reality for Students, Teachers

Education and Early Childhood Development

Grade 10 students and teachers are using leading-edge technology to learn and teach math in the classroom with a new augmented reality application.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey officially launched the app -- EECD AR, today, June 23 at Sir Robert Borden Junior High School in Cole Harbour.

"Providing students with more opportunities to integrate technology and learning is an important part of preparing them for the future," said Ms. Casey. "This app is about providing new ways of learning, embracing technology and encouraging imaginative and creative thinking."

The app allows students and teachers to use their phone or tablet's camera to augment reality to enhance learning. It can produce a 3D image of an object based on text, read the text to students or provide supplementary information to provide more context. The app uses a selection of questions from the Pearson Foundation and Pre-Calculus Mathematics 10 and Mathématiques 10: fondements et pré-calcul textbooks, with the possibility of supporting more questions and different textbooks in the future.

The EECD AR app was developed by John Munro, a teacher at Sir Robert Borden Junior High School, in partnership with E-Learning Media Inc.

"This app lets students bring schoolwork to life and observe it in a way never before possible," said Mr. Munro. "Students are able to tackle problems that are typically difficult to visualize, and find the solution using a new perspective."

The app was inspired by his work with Devon Harvey and Matthew Van Leer, two Grade 12 students at Lockview High School in Fall River, who he worked with on an augmented reality app that won first place at a Saint Mary's University Hackathon competition, last year.

The app is available on the Google Play Store and the App Store. It is an example of how the department is introducing new hands-on learning activities for students to develop their technology skills and to enhance learning as part of the 3 Rs: Renew, Refocus and Rebuild, Nova Scotia's Action Plan for Education. The action plan can be found at http://www.ednet.ns.ca/.