Into the Driver's Seat

Walk into any natural history museum or zoo, and you will notice placards that provide information about the exhibits. These are a form of augmented reality that we take so much for granted that we don't typically distinguish them as anything other than reality. With our new ability to carry information in our pockets, we are suddenly much more aware of that augmentation, making it feel like something new. Certainly, its ubiquity is new, but it draws much from those exhibit notices, and from books and items such as baseball cards. Incorporating fun instant info into the learning process can help energize that process, regardless of whether it's done through new technology or old.