Civilisations AR

Civilisations AR is an app developed by the BBC that features famous, historical artifacts themed by topics that include: Early Civilisations, Human Body, Faith, Encounters, and Progress & Modernity. After loading the app, it provides users with a tutorial overview. In essence, users must give the app permission to access their camera and then locate a flat service. They are then to tap and hold the surface through their phone’s screen. At this point in the tutorial, an artifact will appear that users can resize by pinching their fingers and rotate by swiping through it. While viewing an artifact, users can tap the “Book” icon on the bottom of the screen to access more information about it, the “Flashlight” button to hear an audio recording related to the artifact, and the “Camera” icon to take a picture of it that will be saved to their device’s camera roll.

To stop viewing an artifact and return to the main menu, users must tap the “Globe” icon on the top left of the screen. By tapping it, users will be returned to the main menu, where they can scroll through the themes and tap the down carrot button to view the artifacts under each theme. When ready to view another artifact, users just have to tap it and it will appear.

Instructional Ideas for Civilisations AR

1. When studying a culture or time period, teachers can have students use this app to view artifacts that are specific to it. Teachers can ask students how the artifact is reflective of the culture and/or time period, what information they learned about the artifact from the app, and if they recall seeing the artifact reflected by modern culture in some way. Students can record their responses and share it with the class.
2. After viewing an artifact in this app, students can locate further information about it using a search engine or an encyclopedia Students can record the additional information and then share it as part of a class discussion.
3. After viewing the different artifacts under a theme in this app, teachers can have students locate additional information about a time period and/or culture included in this app, with the purpose of identifying additional artifacts they think could be housed under that theme. Students could then write a small synopsis of the artifact along with a rationale for why it should be included and post it to a shared, collaborative space, such as a Padlet or FlipGrid Other students could then read the post and provide a response to it.

Screenshots for Civilisations AR

Ratings for Civilisations AR

Please Note: No stars indicate that the dimension is not applicable