Previously in GEN 2243,
my class and I survived another App Smackdown. The app that I chose was
Microsoft Excel. BusinessDictionary.com defines Microsoft Excel
as a software that is developed to allow users to, “Organize, format, and
calculate data with formulas using a spreadsheet system broken up by rows and
columns.” For many occupations, i.e. accounting, excel is frequently used in an
everyday setting. It can help with budget expense reports, analyzing statistics
of productions, keeping track of inventory and a lot more. 
Technology has been the
focus point of our world for as long as I can remember. About twenty years ago
cell phones were just emerging, along with cassette tapes, and big box TVs. As
of today we cannot live without our electronic devices, especially our cell
phones. Cell phones have rapidly grown from the early 1990s to the twenty-first
century. Currently iPhones and Androids are the most popular brand; along with
these cell phones, applications (apps) have been designed to help make every
cell phone users experience feel more special. 
Brad Waid and Drew Minock
wrote a blog post, “What is Augmented Reality?” to define Augmented Reality (AR) as a computer-generated
technology that can electronically copy a spitting image of a physical and
real-world environment. Besides creating a spitting image of a physical and
real-world environment AR also has other great features, such as, sound and
video graphics. AR apps, i.e. Zookazam, Anatomy 4D, Quiver, Google Cardboard,
and etc., have grown immensely and teachers are finding that students are
learning more when using AR apps. According to Waid and Minock AR can be
compared to, “The pictures that hang on the walls of Hogwarts. These pictures
are alive and interactive with the students.” Waid and Minock also relate AR to
the movie, “The Night at the Museum.” In The Night at the Museum, “During the day the exhibits are your
normal exhibits, but at night they come to life.” AR has increased education,
technology, and learning experience in a whole new way.
Wikipedia defines “Google
Cardboard [as] a virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) platform developed
by Google for use with a head mount for a mobile phone.” According to How to experience VR on your iPhone with GoogleCardboard, Google Cardboard is an
affordable shell with specialized lenses that turns any real-world scenario
into a virtual reality. The only thing you need is a mobile touch screen
device, i.e. iPhone and/or Android, and any VR app. Once the iPhone is placed
in the shell and the VR app is launched, the only challenge is to pick where
you want to go. Instantly your image will transform into a new reality. 
In GEN 2243, Professor
Calderwood explained and demonstrated how the ZooKazam app works and in what
way it might benefit teachers in their lesson plans. PRWeb’s article, ZooKazam Brings Learning to Life with New EducationalApp describes ZooKazam [as]
The
first augmented reality educational app that does not require a printed maker [and]
is now available worldwide for Apple and Android device. ZooKazam [portrays to its’ audience]
a new way to learn by bringing animals to life within their existing
surroundings using realistic 3-D animation. With more than 45 animals to choose
from, the app integrates directly into the current environment – be it a
classroom, at home, a busy city or in nature – giving children an interactive
experience while teaching them all about animals. Offering separate modes for
children and teachers, ZooKazam provides education on animal classifications,
including dinosaurs, birds, fish, mammals, insects, amphibians, invertebrates
and reptiles, as well as the size, weight, habitat, diet, lifespan and
population status of each individual species.
Not only
does this app provide us with new, engaging, and interactive education approaches,
it also is a tremendous help to visual learners.
Weekly blogger,
Mea Drexler
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