Conceptualizing and developing an AR-enriched workshop for teaching school children in a botanical garden

In this paper, the concept and development of a workshop for a program at a botanical garden for secondary school classes is described. The topic of the interdisciplinary program focuses on how plants change the world, combining a historical perspective with biology, politics, economics, and education for sustainable development. To deliver a novel learning experience and support learners’ understanding, the workshop will leverage augmented reality (AR) for visualizing 3D material and linking physical and virtual objects. The workshop consists of (1) an input phase, enriched with AR-based visualizations, (2) an exploration phase in which students collect virtual material like photorealistic 3D models of the plants, and (3) a design phase in which they will develop AR-supported material themselves. 3D models of the corresponding plants will be produced with the help of photogrammetry beforehand. In further steps in the project, this program will be implemented in the botanical garden and evaluated with experts and the target group.