Is It Possible to Teach and Develop Augmented Reality (AR)?

A Level Computing

Augmented Reality (AR) is no longer a futuristic idea. It is used in navigation apps, medicine, engineering, retail, gaming, and education. Students interact with AR daily without realising it — through Snapchat filters, IKEA furniture previews, Google 3D animals, and the heads-up information on many smartphone apps.

So the question for teachers is: Can AR be taught and developed at A Level?
The answer is yes — at least at an introductory level — and doing so greatly enriches students’ understanding of computing, graphics, and real-world problem solving.

What AR Actually Involves

AR overlays digital information onto the real world using:

a camera
motion sensors
computer vision
3D graphics
a display (usually a phone or tablet)

In other words, AR sits right at the intersection of:

programming
mathematics
physics
digital design
user interface development

This means it aligns beautifully with the aims of A Level Computing.

Why AR Is Worth Teaching

1. It connects computing with real-world innovation

AR powers:

medical surgical overlays
engineering diagnostics
retail product visualisers
educational science models
live language translation apps
architecture mock-ups
tourism and museum guides

Students see computing as something that shapes the modern world.

2. It reinforces core A Level concepts

AR requires understanding of:

coordinate systems
vectors and transformations
algorithms
camera input handling
data processing
event-driven programming

These are all part of the specification, especially for OCR and AQA.

3. It motivates students who enjoy creative computing

AR development combines coding with design — perfect for learners who enjoy both technical and visual thinking.

How AR Can Be Taught at A Level (Realistically)

Students do not need to build a full AR engine. Instead, they can use accessible tools that abstract the difficult parts.

Option 1: Python + OpenCV (Basic AR Principles)

Students can:

track markers
detect shapes
overlay simple graphics
detect motion
insert text or images based on camera input

This teaches the underlying computer vision concepts.

Option 2: Unity with AR Foundation (Industry Standard)

Unity is widely used in gaming and AR.
Students can:

place 3D objects on real surfaces
detect planes and anchors
create AR educational tools
design simple AR games

Unity development is approachable for A Level students with teacher guidance.

Option 3: Web-Based AR (Easiest to Deploy)

Using libraries like AR.js or Three.js, students can create AR experiences that run straight from a phone browser.

This requires:

basic JavaScript
simple 3D objects
markers (printed QR-style patterns)

This is perfect for class demonstrations.

Possible Student AR Projects

An AR model of the heart that labels structures when viewed with a phone
A solar system model floating above a desk
AR maths visualisations (vectors, graphs, transformations)
A museum-style interactive poster
An AR periodic table
A simple AR scavenger hunt using markers around the classroom
A revision tool where pointing a phone at a keyword reveals definitions

These projects are achievable and give students a sense of building something cutting-edge.

Challenges and Considerations

AR requires relatively modern hardware
Performance depends on lighting and device quality
Teachers must introduce 3D coordinate systems
Students need time to learn the tools
Exporting apps can be tricky without licences

However, none of these challenges prevent delivering a meaningful, introductory AR curriculum.

Why Teaching AR Matters

AR is a major growth area in the tech sector.
Students who understand its principles gain:

valuable insight into future careers
experience in creative problem solving
confidence in combining programming with design
portfolio-ready projects that make UCAS and apprenticeships stand out

Teaching AR doesn’t require building the next Pokémon GO — it simply means giving students controlled, achievable experiences of how digital information interacts with the real world.

Saturday, 13 December 2025