Augmented reality in the Library – a joint project

Tuesday 17th April 2012

Matt RamirezAndy Land

» Project Overview» What is AR?» Implementation of AR with Special Collections» Evaluation» Next steps

Presentation Overview

The problem being address»Fragile material»Decontextualised

Project Overview

Aims»Use AR to add value to the learner experience.»Produce a methodology that other Special Collections libraries can follow, making these resources accessible for research, teaching and learning.

Considerations»How does the use of AR enhance Learning & Teaching?»What application does AR have to the wider audience?

Project Overview

» Tuition Fees increased in most UK universities to £9000 per year.

» Students require more demonstrative input and contact time from academics.

» E-learning materials offer flexibility to support traditional form of study.

» Engaging students with innovative use of technologies will help universities to be seen as cutting edge.

The wider context

» SCARLET is unique in that it has a multi-disciplinary team working to achieve aims with a focus on student learning

Stakeholder Roles

MimasProject Management and AR technology

John Rylands LibraryAccess and technical integration with digitised content and special collections.Expert knowledge of special collections materials

AcademicsAward winning academics from Humanities faculty to develop and deliver content

MimasTo evaluate learning with students

Team SCARLET

» Augmented Reality (AR) is a term for superimposing computer graphics over a live view of the real world

» Can be delivered on a desktop, television, mobile device etc.

Introduction to AR

» In televised sporting events real-time analytical information is displayed offering insight into a player, time left, league tables etc.

Examples of AR

» Combining the magic of seeing and handling primary sources with leading-edge technology to support research-led teaching.

» Surround objects with interpretative and contextual material.

» Bridging the gap between tutor-mediated seminars and independent learning.

» Using blended learning methodology.» Users retain information when actively involved in

a learning experience.

AR Student Benefits

» Morgan Stanley forecast that by 2014 mobile internet usage will overtake user access through traditional desktop means.

» “The way children use media through the day is also changing… suggesting a push-button, on-demand culture, which is moving away from scheduled television programmes.” – Childwise survey, children 7-16

Mobile Usage

SCARLET Content

Bringing Special Collections to life using AR

» Use Junaio AR browser to display content» Different channels for subject areas» Browser available as a FREE app through Apple

and Android App stores (Symbian coming soon)» Works through handheld device phone or tablet» Open source SDK for education and wealth of

online support» At the start of the project Junaio was only AR

browser to have GLUE functionality to link physical images, augmenting it with text, videos, images.

Software/Platform

GLUE-ing information to images

» The GLUE object or visual reference should be kept with the Edition, in this case Dante’s Landino but can also be copied for student to take away.

» User journey should be self contained to browser app.

Storyboarding – Phase 1 development

GLUE Object Landing page Webpage

Landing Page»Title»Short Description»Audio (Optional)»Video Walkthrough (Optional)»Email (Optional)Web page»Links to associated resources»Short piece of text to accompany links»Images (Optional)»RSS Feeds - Twitter, blog, news etc. (Optional)»Learning/Research Activities

Content Acquisition

Overview – Phase 1 workflow

Landing page WebpageGLUE Object

» User clicks Open web button to launch supporting web page in browser within app.

» Can include links, videos, Twitter/Blog Feed, more information» Optimised for handheld devices using media queries and JQUERY

Mobile framework

Mobile enhanced web page

iPhone Portrait iPad Landscape

» How effective was the SCARLET application in enhancing the student experience.

» How can feedback be used to inform the next development phase?

» Does AR add value to students study and assist with learning outcomes?

» Is AR more appropriate/beneficial for specific student demographics?

Initial Evaluation objectives

User Journey

http://teamscarlet.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/userjourney.png

User Journey video

http://youtu.be/UzI1dtSQ7ac

» Technology was easy to use.» Provided a central reference to library systems and

external resources.» Beneficial for initial planning of essays and basic

knowledge acquisition.» Video introductions related to specific objects were most

valuable asset in the delivery.» “Makes learning fun”» Enjoyed using the iPads working with peers.» Offer a fresh perspective? Student-led, i.e., using more

initiative about how to research/study» Give a more realistic perspective – puts you “in” the

situation. Makes learning more exciting and interactive

Feedback - Positive

» Resources were already available online (Blackboard)

» Students felt divorced from physical object; linking to web app diluted the experience

» Activity was prescribed and not aligned with some users research methods consulting physical secondary texts.

Feedback - Negative

» “Makes learning fun”» “Offer a fresh perspective. Student-led, i.e., using

more initiative about how to research/study» “Give a more realistic perspective – puts you “in”

the situation. Makes learning more exciting and interactive”

» “It can make you feel like you’re not studying, almost fun and I think information goes in more like that.”

Feedback – Student Quotes

» Use of AR should be more contextual and linked to the object.

» Best used in short byte size learning chunks» Must deliver unique learning values different from

online support (e.g.VLE).» User should become less conscious of the

technology and more engaged with the text.» Users learn in different ways and AR may not be

appropriate to all students.» Evaluation needed from other user groups and

course areas.

Feedback – Lessons Learned

Next Steps

» Develop materials overlaid on the physical resource for other courses (Milton, Ancient Egyptian papyri).

» Work with library to promote public engagement.» Investigate funding opportunities in other subject

areas (e.g. Medical) and services (Landmap – visual spatial representations).

» Disseminate tool kit at project end.

Next Steps

Phase 2 workflow - Printing Press

Layered information on object

WebpageGLUE Object(Real World)

Other subject applications

» Project blog at http://teamscarlet.wordpress.com/ where all members of project contribute on all aspects (academic, technology, pedagogy, special collections.

» Twitter @team_scarlet» Email: matthew.ramirez@manchester.ac.uk;

andy.land@manchester.ac.uk» Upcoming presentations

» Elag 2012 15-18th May 2012 – Palma, Spain

» Publications» CILIP Update magazine (February 2012)» SCONUL Focus (February 2012)

Project Communication

Questions?