Join me on a journey to the year 2012. The world is undergoing a digital renaissance, and young students are engaging with social media at a pace that has not been seen before. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram have taken the world by storm as humans connect and utilize their features to stay informed on major news events. (Brenner, 2013)
In terms of the creative arts, digital media has become increasingly more visible. Modern artists have innovated artistic practice by exploring the uses of image design via coding, interactive design through gaming technology, and creating virtual 3D spaces outside of the physical world. Programs like Adobe Creative Suite are booming with engagement, as artists all around the world use them for logo design, magazine visuals, and photo retouching. (Carter, 2021) At this particular time, teachers were actively overwhelmed at the thought of keeping up with their aspiring scholars. In the midst of capitalism, the world demands a faster means of human connection, increased productivity, and an ever-changing digital landscape. Does this all sound a bit familiar? This is because society is still undergoing this renaissance in the year 2025. As AI and augmented reality become more woven into our cultural fabric, educators everywhere are asked, once more, to arm their diverse demographic of learners for a workforce that is being aggressively pushed into the future, so how do we undergo this daunting task like the educators before us? Well, I cast my focus on how all these enhanced tools can improve the pursuit of knowledge acquisition and modernization.
As noted before, Art education has always evolved alongside technology, from cave walls to canvas, from film photography to Photoshop. Now, another wave of innovation is here: Augmented Reality. Once the domain of sci-fi and gaming, AR is becoming an exciting, accessible tool in today’s classrooms, redefining how we teach, learn, and experience art.
Now that we have experimented with digital media and creation over the past decade, society seeks to blur the barrier between the virtual and physical world in order to boost interactive experiences. Augmented Reality blends digital content with the real world using devices like smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses. Unlike Virtual Reality, which immerses users in a completely virtual environment, "AR uses apps, consoles, screens, and projections to overlay or combine digital information with real-world environments." (Hayes, 2025)
I know what you are thinking. "Hold on, Mrs. Beltran. What does this all mean for our students? How in the world would this innovate the common American classroom?" I will tell you. With these new innovations, students can really make their artwork take flight like the world has never seen! Imagine pointing an iPad at a student's artwork and watching it transform into a virtual 3D sculpture. Online platforms like Artivive and Blippar achieve this very result. This revitalizes the creative space as youth tap into a new realm to explore. Students can create traditional drawings and paintings that trigger an AR experience, thus inspiring a sense of magic and pride!
Other applications like Google Arts and Culture allow students to place themselves in history. Whether a class is in-person or learning on a virtual modality, students can explore famous artworks, historical sculptures, and architectural masterpieces in 3D. One can walk through Van Gogh’s bedroom, zoom into brushstrokes, and discuss art movements with immersive context. Furthermore, Google Arts and Culture provides the educator with aids such as downloadable lessons that cover a wide range of creative topics. (EdTech Classroom, 2022)
Ultimately, one does not have to be a technology expert to implement these strategies into the pedagogical practice. Take a breath, my fellow educators. Start small. Start with one application in your lessons and allow your students to share their findings. Much like the humble beginnings of education, instilled by Aristotle, we only serve as a guide for the next generation. Art, after all, thrives on curiosity and risk-taking. Augmented reality is simply another tool to encourage these necessary attributes. As art teachers, we can utilize these new innovations to lead scholars into a world without boundaries, not even the edge of a page.
References
Brenner, M. D. and J. (2013, February 14). The Demographics of Social Media Users — 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from Pew Research Center website: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/02/14/the-demographics-of-social-media-users-2012-2/
Carter, E. (2021, November 11). The Rise and Fall of Adobe Inc. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from Design Harder website: https://designharder.substack.com/p/adobe
EdTech Classroom. (2022, January 26). Using Google Arts & Culture in the Classroom. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from EdTech Classroom website: https://edtech-class.com/2022/01/26/using-google-arts-culture-in-the-classroom/
Hayes, A. (2025, March 2). Augmented Reality (AR) Defined, with Examples and Uses. Retrieved June 4, 2025, from Investopedia website: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/augmented-reality.asp
What a powerful reflection, Mrs. Beltran! Your journey from the digital boom of 2012 to the immersive, tech-rich classrooms of 2025 beautifully captures the evolution of art education. I especially appreciate how you’ve framed AR not as a replacement, but as a continuation of creative exploration — from cave walls to code. The examples you shared, like Artivive and Google Arts & Culture, make the integration of AR feel both magical and achievable. Your encouragement to "start small" is such a valuable reminder for educators who may feel overwhelmed. Thank you for inspiring us to embrace these tools as a bridge between imagination and innovation!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I find it best to approach every innovation in bite-sized pieces. It was not until I sat down to type out this post that I realized how much innovation has occurred from the 2010s to the current day. From the millennial generation to generation alpha, we have never lived in a world where technology wasn't innovating at light speed. Naturally, civilization has endured multiple forms of renaissance over the course of generations but one definitely has to wonder when we'll be able to stop and take a breath. The future minds are going to build upon this and blow our minds as adults though.
DeleteI really loved reading your post! It’s amazing to see how art education keeps growing with technology—just like the digital changes back in 2012, now AI and augmented reality are opening up whole new worlds for our students. This really ties into what I’ve been thinking about with AI literacy too. Both AI and AR aren’t just gadgets; they’re powerful ways to help students create, explore, and think differently. Just like AI can support students who need extra help organizing their ideas or checking their work, AR makes art and history come alive—imagine walking through Van Gogh’s bedroom or zooming in on brushstrokes with Google Arts and Culture. It’s a whole new kind of learning that’s immersive and fun.I totally get that as teachers, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with all these new tools. But your advice to start small and explore alongside our students really hits home. We don’t have to be experts right away. When we show curiosity and a willingness to learn together, we build trust and create a safe space for students to do the same. That’s exactly how we help them become confident, responsible users of AI and AR.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly crazy to consider how much we have innovated in terms of what we can do with our students. In 2011, I was in high school learning how to use Photoshop and maybe a tiny bit of coding and animation. Earlier this year, I taught a second-grade class about basic coding, using Scratch. They're pretty stinking good at it, too! More than anything, students want the permission to explore personal curiosities in a safe space and digital tools are doing that for us.
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