Enhancing Social-Emotional Learning Through AR

Lightswitch Learning, a prominent children's publisher focused on social-emotional learning, sought to deepen the impact of their bestselling book, *The Emancipation of Grandpa Sandy Wills* by Emmy Award-winning journalist Cheryl Wills. This book tackles crucial topics like social justice and racism. To amplify the book's educational impact and engage young readers more effectively, Lightswitch Learning turned to SpearXR, a subsidiary of the Glimpse Group specializing in augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Author Cheryl Wills collaborated with SpearXR to develop a range of AR features for a new edition of her book. These features included captivating pop-up visuals, dynamic audio elements, and other interactive educational tools embedded throughout the book. Cheryl Wills' voice and likeness were integrated into these AR elements to create a more immersive experience. The AR content is accessible through a specially designed mobile app called "Emancipation," which syncs with the book’s pages and features ten animated pages with various AR components designed to enhance learning.

The collaboration between Lightswitch Learning and SpearXR resulted in a highly successful educational tool that made reading more engaging for young learners. The AR features allowed students to virtually explore the Civil War era and interact with representations of Cheryl Wills' ancestors, bringing historical contexts to life in a compelling way. This innovative use of AR technology demonstrated how modern tools can transform educational experiences, making them more interactive and meaningful for students. By merging storytelling with augmented reality, the project exemplifies how technological advancements can be harnessed to create rich, educational experiences that resonate with young audiences and enhance their understanding of important social issues.

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