Dive Brief:

• Blended reality, the idea of integrating sensory experiences into technology use, is creating the opportunity for unique interactive experiences for students in schools across the country.
• Middle school students get a new take on the traditional frog dissection with blended reality, where they replace actual frog specimens with 3D, digital alternatives, down to the individual organs that they can rotate and manipulate as needed.
• Blended reality is more life-like than simulations or animations and gives students active multimedia learning experiences that can enhance their knowledge recall later.

Dive Insight:

Today’s teachers have a range of digital tools at their disposal to make learning more active and engaging for students who spend so much of their lives connected to a device. Professional development is key to any ed tech initiative, however, many teachers need training to figure out the best ways to integrate new technologies into their classrooms.

It is easy to replace paper and pencil activities with digital equivalents. What is harder is to transform instruction by using new technologies for activities that wouldn’t have been possible before. Reaching this higher level can be accomplished through collaboration and ongoing professional learning for educators.