Abstract:

The fastest evolution of technology has changed the face of education, especially when technology was combined with adequate pedagogical foundations. This combination has created new opportunities for improving the quality of teaching and learning experiences. Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the latest technologies that offer a new way to educate. Due to the rising popularity of mobile devices globally, the widespread use of AR on smartphones and tablets has become a growing phenomenon.

Augmented reality appears as an emerging technology that promises to make "educational immersion" available to practically everyone. Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that permits to overlay computer graphics onto the real world. AR interfaces enhance the real-world experience, unlike other computer interfaces that draw users away from the real world and onto the screen. Using advanced technology an empty space is turned into a very rich educational experience. AR interface is a visualization technology that can take advantage of the limitations offered by other visual means of communication for learning.

Nowadays, Bulgarian schools are changed slowly: the vast majority of teachers continue to bore students with ineffective, non-interactive approaches to education that result in little more than the teacher's notes becoming the students' notes without passing through the their minds of either. True learning is experiential. Students learn best by doing, not by reading or listening to lectures. The more senses are involved (sound, sight, touch, emotions, etc.), the more powerful the learning experience. That's why today's best teachers are those pioneering individuals who take the effort to engage their students in meaningful activities that reach students at multiple levels.

To the moment, there is a lack of studies with focus on investigating factors such as: the use, advantages, limitations, effectiveness, challenges, and features of augmented reality in Bulgarian educational settings. This paper presents Augmented Reality (AR), how it can apply to Bulgarian school and training, and the potential impact on the future of Bulgarian education.

Keywords:

Educational Technologies, Augmented Reality, Mobile Augmented Reality, Trends of AR, Digital Skills.