In this paper it is advocated that the feedback loop between students and lecturer could be improved by making use of Augmented Reality (AR) techniques. The bidirectional communication teacher-students is sometimes hampered by students' fear of showing themselves up in front of their classmates. In order to overcome this problem a system is proposed whereby lecturers receive immediate and private feedback both individualised for each student as well as aggregated for the whole class. With that purpose the lecturer, who is equipped with a head mounted AR display, can visualize symbols that student select to represent their status in relation to the lecture content. In order to explore the possibilities of this approach an experience was conducted in a lecture on a university course. The results are encouraging and suggest that as this technology matures and less intrusive AR display models become available, it could provide effective support to communication and interaction during lectures.
The use of augmented reality (AR) to support the learning process has been extensively researched but its use to support the teaching practice has just started to be explored. In this paper, we present a communication system that makes use of a pair of Google Glass to provide the teacher with a constant and private flow of information on the students' current knowledge. The proposed system allows the information sent by the students through their mobiles to overlap with the teachers' live vision of the class. Compared to other feedback systems like clickers or backchannel systems, this AR prototype avoids teachers diverting their gaze and interrupting the class to access the students' feedback. This supports the constant monitoring of potential comprehension problems that might otherwise be overlooked. With the aim of obtaining insights on the teachers' and students' views of the system, we conducted two studies during which the system was used in real classroom settings. The results of both studies suggest that the AR system could report benefits in terms of better communication between students and teachers, and a more adequate rhythm of the class. Also, the use of the AR system in the classroom does not necessarily constitute an element, which will distract and disrupt educational activity.INDEX TERMS Augmented reality, computer-mediated communication, educational technology.
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