New Worlds Reading AR Expeditions
Bring kids’ books to life with New Worlds Reading AR Expeditions!
The University of Florida College of Education and Lastinger Center for Learning are exploring how Augmented Reality technology can inspire kids to engage with more books while developing solutions for young learners statewide.
Immersive Augmented Reality
Designed to boost reading motivation for 3rd to 5th grade students in Florida who are reading below grade level, AR Expeditions is an application that transforms a paper book into an immersive experience.
Engaging Virtual Experiences
Students explore exciting environments, interact with educational content, and foster a love for reading. AR Expeditions builds confidence and motivates children to build a deeper connection to literacy.
About the App
New Worlds Reading AR Expeditions will feature four themed experiences based on common topics found in books from the New Worlds Reading program. Designed to spark curiosity about books and make literacy-based media more accessible, the app uses a gamified approach with augmented reality to enhance learning. The AR Expeditions will also support Spanish and Haitian Creole to encourage family play at home.
Can I download New Worlds Reading AR Expeditions?
The app is slated to launch on iOS and Android in Spring 2025 with the Ocean AR experience, and will be periodically updated to include additional experiences in the future. New Worlds Reading AR will be available on Google Play and Apple App Store, built for both phones and tablets.
Ocean AR
Ocean AR is the first of four themed experiences in AR Expeditions, highlighting the aquatic wildlife in and around Florida. It’s divided into four sub-experiences, each offering unique gameplay:
- Aquarium: Create your own aquatic ecosystem right in your living room or classroom! Powered by an AI behavioral system, you can watch creatures swim, eat, and interact with each other in lifelike, scaled environments.
- Bubble Pop: Test your knowledge with a unique quiz format. Pop bubbles containing correct answers to release plants, animals, and marine objects in their real-life size.
- Coloring Book: Choose a page to color in, then watch your creation come to life as a 3D object!
- Fishing: Obtain lures by answering vocabulary-related prompts, then use those lures to fish up a variety of animals!
Each sub-experience utilizes augmented reality to engage excitement and leverage learning. Gameplay is filled with fun facts at every turn to boost learning, and text prompts are paired with audio to help reluctant readers follow along.
Learn more
Read about the AR Expeditions privacy policy here.
To learn more about New Worlds Reading, visit newworldsreading.com.
