Microsoft Hololens in Modern Education

​Since the invention of the computer there hasn't been a device ready to empower students in their learning like the Microsoft Hololens. The Hololens is wireless device designed like a pair of oversized sunglasses with attached halo. It has two speakers built into the halo and tracks a user's glance perfectly while searching for simple inputs like the pinching of a user's fingers. The fact it is wireless and has several hours of battery life per charge makes it ideal for learning environments around the globe. After a fast mapping of the learning space the Hololens sensors determine walls, floors, ceilings and even flat surfaces like tables and couches. Using this information the device can run programs that use the entire space while executing learning experiences. From revolutionary field trips to aiding students with exceptionalities the Hololens is primed to be the device of the future classroom and the movement is starting today.

Microsoft has been a leader for years in the virtual field trip category for education. Skype Virtual Field Trips allow teachers to take their students around the world visiting locations (and more importantly people) that they normally would never have the chance to experience. Microsoft, though still enjoying this success, has taken field trips to an entirely different level with the Hololens. HoloTours empower the learner by holographically placing them in the real life setting of a moment in history or current geographic location. Star Trek fans will see similarities to the HoloDeck on the Starship Enterprise! Here's a video demonstrating HoloTours. It is exciting to imagine the possible content that will be made for learners using Hololens over the next decade!

Students and teachers alike don't need to sit around waiting for content to be made for the Hololens. Using programs like Unity 3D students can author and create content that can be run on the device. This offers an even higher form of learning with the Hololens involved. Students become creators of content instead of just consumers. The ideas in their heads can be brought to life transforming entire learning spaces and education at the same time. All Windows 10 Universal Apps can run on Hololens and all Hololens programs are Windows Apps. Unity 3D offers ample tutorials on how to build and export for Microsoft Hololens and Youtube is quickly offering more and more support for students and teachers daily. 

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (S.T.E.A.M.) subjects in schools stand to benefit as much as geography, history and literacy based courses. Students will be able to manipulate molecules and chemical reactions in one class and design art on another classroom's walls. They can manipulate Sketchup 3D designs for engineering in massive sizes as a group in the centre of a learning space, or apply the Pythagorean Theorem in the real world easily.

The future of school will see students have their own Hololens and as they move class to class content can be added and removed for the given learning topic. As essential as the smart phone seems today the Microsoft Hololens will a MUST when it comes to empowering students in modern learning environments. This school program already exists with the title "Bring Your Own Device" and only the "device" needs to change! See the Media and Learn sections of www.HololensEDU.com for more examples of how Hololens will change education forever. Follow @Hololens @BBTNB for more on Twitter!