Running head: EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN TODAYS CLASSROOM 1

Emerging Technology in Todays Classroom

Christine Wilson

College of Southern Nevada

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Abstract

This paper explores three emerging technologies for todays classroom, including 3D printing,

augmented reality, and gamification. Each technology is explained how it is used in different

grade levels, the impact the technology has on teaching, the impact the technology has on student

learning, how the technology works, and the benefits of the specified technology in the

classroom.

Keywords: emerging technologies, 3D printing, augmented reality, gamification

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Emerging Technology in Todays Classroom

Technology in todays classrooms changes daily. Where we were five years ago is not

where we are now or where we will be five years from now. The emerging technologies of today

are allowing teachers to take their lessons to a whole new level and allow the students the

opportunity to become the masters of their own learning experience. This paper explores three

emerging technologies in the classroom such as 3D printing, augmented reality, and

gamification.

3D Printing

3D printing is a newer technology, which is not widely utilized due to cost constraints of

the printer and materials. However, if the school or teacher is able to have a 3D printer, students

and teachers alike are finding the printer invaluable to the teachers daily lessons. Imagine being

able to reproduce a dinosaur skeleton or hold pieces of the Titanic! 3D printing is making it

possible, which bring the past to life and inspire new ideas for the future.

How its used in different grade levels. 3D printing carries advantages across all grade levels.

Starting in elementary school, students can create their own frames for artwork, re-create

historical designs or build their own (Kane, 2017). It can be used for math fundamentals, such as

printing pieces of pie for fractions or parts of an equation (Kane, 2017). Having something to

touch and see gives the students a way to visualize and conceptualize the math problem (Using,

2017). In middle school, students can use 3D printing to design their own buildings, make

prototypes for inventions, or even use it for geographical context (Kane, 2017). In high school,

3D printing is being used for dissection in biology, creating DNA molecules, making products to
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sell, math examples, and more (Slack, 2014). 3D printing is allowing the students to touch and

see things that have only been seen in textbooks (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2017).

Impact teaching. 3D printing allows the teacher to bring lessons to life. Props that teachers

would have paid a lot of money for, now can be recreated for less and are easily replaceable.

Objects can be reimagined to be taken apart. Having the ability to include a physical object into

lessons gives the teacher more options as to what to teach or how far to take the lesson. 3D

printing can also let the teacher put the student in charge of their own learning by letting them

decide what to create and watch it evolve from start to finish (Slack, 2014).

Impact learning. 3D printing allows students to participate in lessons in ways that they have not

before. Kinesthetic learners will be greatly impacted by the ability to design, watch the printing

process, and hold a creation. They can now see and hold a rare sea creature, build and test a

catapult (Kane, 2017), and print a statue from Italy. Other learners will enjoy the opportunity to

use their imagination to create something that until now has only been in their mind. It changes

them from consumers to inventors (Slack, 2014).

How it works. Using CAD (computer aided design) software or similar, a design is created. You

are able to make your own design or use pre-made design files. That design information is

relayed to the 3D printer, which prints the object using layer upon layer of plastic resin or other

material (Lever-Duffy et al., 2017).

Benefits for classroom. There are many benefits to using 3D printing in the classroom.

Allowing students to see and hold objects that were out of reach before or to make their own

invention is arguably the most beneficial thing about 3D printing. It promotes student

engagement in the lesson (Using, 2017), which in turn makes the lesson more relevant and more
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likely to be remembered by the students (Slack, 2014). Making students to work together as a

group to solve a global problem, or invent a product for consumer use, fosters cooperation and

communication between students (Using, 2017). 3D printing allows for trial and error. If students

create something that doesnt work or fit or the measurements were off, they have the ability to

fix the problem and reprint the object (Slack, 2014).

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality brings things to life in a way that 3D printing cannot. 3D printing is a

static object brought to fruition. Augmented reality is making that static object come alive (think

Harry Potter). It uses the existing environment or object and overlays new or live information

on top of it, creating a different (augmented) reality (Schrock, 2017).

How its used in different grade levels. Augmented reality is still finding its way into the

classroom. Elementary students can enjoy interactive books on many subjects, including animals

and the solar system (Brown, 2015). When viewing these, it is like watching an animated video!

Middle school and high schools are using augmented reality to make school announcements

come alive, help with homework problems, as well as using a lesson disguised as a game to

complete tasks (Brown, 2015). It can also be used in classrooms to view 3D images of the human

body, or make worksheets come alive with models and video that reinforce the content (Brown,

2015).

Impact teaching. It will take a little while for augmented reality to become common in the

classroom. Augmented reality will make a subject come alive with examples, drawings, charts,

and notes. It could be described as giving a little extra the the normal subject matter. If a

teacher is having a hard time with certain students who wont engage, there are resources
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available to are made to reach those students. They have lessons in a variety of formats,

including 360 degree virtual worlds and 3D experiences (Brown, 2015).

Impact learning. Augmented reality will impact learning by making subjects an immersive

experience, transporting the student to another place. The student could scan a picture of the

Leaning Tower of Pisa and be transported to Italy as if viewing the Tower in real life. It would

allow the students to scan a still picture and watch it turn into a book review or scan a math

problem and watch it show you how to do the problem. Students would have the ability to see

things that they would be unable to see due to time or distance. This will make learning more fun

and exciting for students, hopefully resulting in better grades.

How it works. Augmented reality requires a smartphone or tablet with camera, an AR app, a

trigger image, and an internet connection. When a trigger image is scanned, the existing image

comes alive with a computer generated enhancement overlay (Schrock, 2017). This enhancement

makes the image more meaningful from the ability to interact with it.

Benefits for classroom. The benefits of augmented reality in the classroom are its ability to

immerse the students into another realm. It gives them an extra boost of content to the subject

matter, that might not have been present in a traditional lesson. In science, you would have the

ability to mix chemicals and show the reaction without putting students or teachers at risk

(Schrock, 2017). You could look at a picture of a human heart and have it come alive in 3D with

the different parts and being able to dissect it without the need of a real human heart (Brown,

2015). A beneficial homework assignment could be using a QR code as the trigger image and

have that code link to an online lesson, help chart, or other interactive resource (Schrock, 2017).

Augmented reality gives a little bit of magic to education, which keeps the student interested.
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Gamification

Gamification in education has been happening for a long time. There has always been

toys and games geared towards learning and teaching, engaging children through a fun way of

learning. A common understanding is that by the time kids are 21, they have played over 10,000

hours of video games. That is the same amount of time theyve spent in school. Research also

suggests that 58% of Americans play video games (Classcraft). It is for these reasons that

gamification in the classroom makes sense. Gamification is adding a game element to

instructional content (Lever-Duffy et al., 2017.

How its used in different grade levels. Gamification starts at a very early age. It is started in

elementary classrooms as a fun way to learn math by counting boats, learn reading by watching

an interactive story that highlights the words as theyre being read, or learning letters by finding

them in a maze. In middle and high school, students play these games as quests or challenges to

progress to a higher level (How). Each quest or challenge is related to content being taught in the

classroom and gets harder the further they go.

Impact teaching. Gamification is a win-win for the teacher. It keeps the students engaged and it

can allow instantaneous results of student progress and show where more help is needed (Acedo,

2013). The downside, is that gamification might not be a helpful tool to help students retain the

information.

Impact learning. Students learn much better when they are motivated, and gamification makes

them feel competitive with others and also have a chance to celebrate their achievements.

Gamification also fulfills three needs often found in students: The need to make choices, the

need to overcome challenges, and the need for relationships (Classcraft).

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How it works. Gamification is turning a lesson, subject, or any instructional content into a game.

Typically there are quests or challenges that need to be completed before moving on to the next

level. The quests can be answering questions, watching a short video, analyzing data, or writing

an essay. When the quest is complete, the students can earn badges or points and level up. As the

students level up, the quests become more challenging (How).

Benefits for classroom. Gamification in the classroom increases motivation and cooperation in

the classroom due to the competitive nature of gaming. It also teaches the students to embrace

failure and encourages practice. It keeps the students engaged and gives them something fun to

do that reiterates the lesson being taught (Acedo, 2013).

Conclusion

Technology in todays classroom changes at a lightning pace. Every emerging technology is

trying to address the various types of learning and find a way to engage the students and promote

learning in a way that will equip students to succeed in an ever changing world (Lever-Duffy et

al., 2017). With these technologies, students will develop better communication, critical

thinking, and cooperation skills. Students will be able to see the world in a different way, from

plastic-made dinosaur bones to visiting Italy from their desk. The possibilities are endless!
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References

Acedo, M. (2013). 10 Specific Ideas To Gamify Your Classroom. Retrieved October 6, 2017,

from https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/how-to-gamify-your-classroom/

Brown, P. (2015, November 2). How to Transform Your Classroom With Augmented Reality.

Retrieved October 5, 2017, from

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-11-02-how-to-transform-your-classroom-with-aug

mented-reality

How Gamification Works. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2017, from

http://rezzly.com/does-gamification-work/

Kane, K. (2017, February 24). 9 Amazing Ways Teachers Can Use 3D Printing to Teach Math

and Science. Retrieved October 05, 2017, from

https://www.weareteachers.com/3d-printing-math-science/

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. B. (2017). Teaching and learning with technology (5th ed.).

Florida: Pearson Education.

Schrock, K. (2017, August 1). August 2017: Augmented reality in the classroom. Retrieved

October 5, 2017, from

http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2017/08/01/augmentedreality/

Slack, M. (2014, May 10). How (And Why) To Get Started With 3D Printing In The Classroom.

Retrieved October 05, 2017, from

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http://www.edudemic.com/3d-printing-in-the-classroom/

Using 3D Printing in STEM Education 2017. (2017, April 26). Retrieved October 5, 2017, from

http://blog.noplag.com/using-3d-printing-in-stem-education-2017/

Why Use Gamification in Education? (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2017, from

https://www.classcraft.com/gamification/