Global publishing company Oxford University Press has announced a collaboration with a Singaporean AR/VR development company to bring augmented reality to its English language learning materials.
Announcing a tie-up with MXRi during the BETT event in London, UK, the deal was overseen by the Deputy High Commissioner of Singapore to the UK.
“Augmented reality promises a new dimension of learner engagement”
MXRi, a company with its roots in the Mixed Realties Lab at the National University of Singapore, has developed a platform called SnapLearn will be used for some of OUP’s existing English language courses, as well as new ones that are in the pipeline.
The collaboration will allow OUP to introduce new content experiences, with learners simply scanning their book to make the page come to life. They will get access to media and interactive digital experiences such as 3D models, explained the multimedia publishing company.
Joseph Noble, OUP’s head of partnerships and Innovation, commented, “We want to set new benchmarks for the content quality and learner experience that OUP is world renowned for.
“Augmented reality promises to unlock a new dimension of learner engagement as it offers a unique bridge between the physical world and digital experiences.”
Gerald Cai, MXRi co-founder said the deal would allow young digital-native students to combine their tech literacy with “language mastery” in a transformation of language learning.
OUP’s suite of products include Headway, Navigate and Let’s Go for young learners.