Rethinking Tech PD

COVID and the response to it has changed so many things.  Tech support and PD is arguably more necessary than ever and yet it seems harder to make it happen.  That's why I'm giving online, self-paced PD a try.  I'm offering a self-paced PD covering the basics of Schoology for renewal credit.  If all goes well, I hope to offer a series of professional learning opportunities.

If you are a Greenwood 50 educator and you would like to give this PD a try, let me know!

Creating Augmented Reality Experiences

What if students could create their own augmented reality experiences?  I've been mulling over this question, researching, experimenting, and researching some more.  This is what I have learned so far.

Student Created Project (Directions for Creating Your Own)

How to Create for the Merge Cube (for free)

I heard a lot about the new Merge EDU platform and creating your own content for the Merge Cube using CoSpaces Edu at FETC.  I was super excited until I found out that both involve an annual subscription per student.  Ouch!

I have since discovered that it is possible to create square Google Slides, save them as images, and add them to a 3D cube as stickers using Microsoft's free Paint3D app.  Save this creation as an FBX file, upload it to My Objects at miniverse.io, and view your slides on the Merge Cube for free using the Object Viewer app!

I have experimented with adding 3D text and stickers to the cube using Paint3D and it is tricky enough that I'm afraid it would frustrate many students.

How to Create Augmented Reality Experiences with Metaverse (for free)

I came across this blog post from Kasey Bell while I was researching.  In the post she lists Metaverse as an option that allows users to create their own augmented reality experiences on a computer or Chromebook and view them with the Metaverse app on a mobile device.  I have had so much fun experimenting with this one!  Thanks to some handy tutorials on the Metaverse AR Platform YouTube channel I was creating in no time.  Metaverse not only allows you to create AR experiences it allows you to create trivia games and media walls as well.  Scan the codes to my first two experiences below with the Metaverse app and check it out!

My First Metaverse Experience

My Second Metaverse Experience