ARHT Media CEO Paul Duffy explains his technology as a HumaGram at a Cy-Fair ISD conference.[/caption]Hundreds of teachers and administrators attending Cy-Fair ISD’s Rigor, Relevance and Relationships conference June 9 at the Berry Center experienced an unusual keynote address.
Ron Clark, founder of the innovative Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, appeared as a hologram when delivering a talk on creative practices for motivating students, parents and colleagues.
HumaGrams, new augmented reality technology developed by ARHT Media, project living, deceased and fictional human holograms, which can be pre-recorded or appear live. When live, digital humans can interact with audiences in real-time.
ARHT Media CEO Paul Duffy said the technology would bring new possibilities to the classroom by providing students access to top experts from around the world across a variety of subjects.
“[We want to] take some of the best, rarest educators, package them up and deliver them to places they couldn’t easily get to before,” Duffy said.
HumaGrams have been used in the entertainment, healthcare and retail industries, but the RRR conference marked the first time education has taken advantage of the concept, Duffy said. The multi-plane display technology allows for larger scale learning moments, which makes it different from similar technology such as FaceTime and Skype, he said.
ARHT Media teamed up with Promethean, an educational equipment supplier, to make the June 9 training session possible. CFISD has a partnership with Promethean and is in the process of integrating the company’s interactive whiteboards into classrooms, said Linda Macias, the district’s associate superintendent for curriculum, instruction and accountability.
“We hope today will spark some ideas about how technology and innovation can enhance instruction in the classroom,” Macias said. “Ron Clark is such an inspiring, motivating person, and his attitude that nothing’s impossible with our kids is contagious.”
Clark urged educators to learn about their students’ interests to get them to pay attention and try their best in class. When teachers can relate to their students on that level, they will earn credibility and respect, he said.
“If you’re working with kids who are struggling, who don’t want to be there, you’ve got to give them a moment to feel proud,” Clark said. “Sometimes we expect a lot from them, but they don’t have any gas in the engine.”
ARHT Media executives said their technology—essentially a camera, green screen, monitor and laser-based projector—is easy to integrate into the classroom. Bringing HumaGrams into underserviced areas ties into the greater mission of helping students succeed regardless of ethnicity or economic status.
