An augmented reality tool for accessible learning

Even though GenAI has the potential to personalise learning and support students more effectively, it can feel either abstract or only relevant to specific disciplines in practice. For many non-science educators, GenAI is associated with plagiarism or assessment concerns, while in science and engineering, it is often framed as a technical tool for coding or data analysis. Rarely is it presented as something that can be easily integrated into everyday teaching across subjects. 

So, how can we make GenAI more intuitive, accessible and relevant across disciplines? One approach is to pair it with simple visual tools. GenAI-powered AquaReality cards offer a low-cost and scalable way to bring abstract concepts to life, while supporting interactive and interdisciplinary learning.

Turning curiosity into tangible interaction

Curiosity is often the starting point for deeper learning. In our experience, immersive tools such as virtual reality can spark strong engagement, but they are not always practical in everyday teaching. AquaReality cards offer a more accessible alternative that integrates seamlessly into classroom use. 

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For example, in a first-year foundation course, such as OCES 1001 The Earth as a Blue Planet, students can use their mobile phones to scan a QR code on the card, which opens the AquaReality web app. By scanning the image of a marine organism, they can immediately access an interactive 3D model. 

To further enhance learning, the system allows students to scan either a single card or a paired set – for example, a clownfish and a sea anemone – to explore the symbiotic relationship in the marine ecosystem. The output is dynamically adapted to the learner’s academic level and disciplinary context, transforming a simple visual interaction into a personalised interdisciplinary learning experience. 

Instead of beginning with definitions, the lecture starts with questions: why do these two species live together? How do they support each other? This simple interaction encourages students to observe, question and hypothesise before formal explanation. A useful approach is to start with a visual prompt and use AI-generated content to guide students from curiosity to explanation. 

Use GenAI to scaffold learning across levels

GenAI becomes particularly useful when it helps students at different levels engage with the same material. With AquaReality cards, the same card pairing can generate different layers of explanation.

In the foundation course, we further separate the class into two big groups: one group of non-science students might receive a short, story-based explanation of symbiosis, while another group of science majors analyse ecological dynamics, using the same visual prompt. This allows educators to design one activity with multiple entry points. 

In practice, this allows students to move from basic understanding to deeper enquiry, while AI-generated outputs provide useful prompts for discussion, comparison and problem-solving.

Connect concepts across disciplines

In higher education, we tend to teach subjects in isolation. AquaReality cards make it easier to connect ideas across disciplines using shared visual prompts. 

For example, pairing cards representing salt and water can help students visualise how seawater forms, introducing bonding concepts in chemistry. Combining cards of warm and cold water masses can illustrate ocean circulation and energy transfer. Pairing a coral with a ghost net can show the impact of pollution on marine ecosystems. Always use the same visual tool to design activities that can be interpreted differently across disciplines, helping students connect ideas rather than learn them in isolation. 

Lower the barrier to immersive learning

VR offers powerful experiences, but it often requires specialised equipment and set-up. AquaReality cards provide a more practical and accessible alternative. They work with mobile devices, are inexpensive to produce and can be used in different venue settings. For example, during a field trip, students can scan cards on-site to compare real-world observations with AI-generated visualisations. This blends physical and digital learning, without additional infrastructure. 

In practice, it helps to choose tools that are easy to deploy in your teaching context. Scalable and low-cost solutions are more likely to be adopted across courses and departments. By focusing on shared ideas and flexible tools, GenAI can move beyond discipline-specific applications and support more connected learning experiences.

Build collaboration through shared tools

Interdisciplinary teaching often fails because collaboration happens too late or is too superficial. Shared tools can provide a starting point for meaningful collaboration. In our experience, AquaReality cards have brought together colleagues from marine science, digital design and engineering. By integrating GenAI, the same framework can be extended to other disciplines. 

For example, a joint module could involve science educators defining core concepts, designers developing visual representations, and educators from other disciplines adapting them for their teaching. A practical starting point is to begin small or by co-designing a single activity with a colleague from another discipline, using a shared tool. A marine science lecturer and a language instructor could use a clownfish-sea anemone card pair: students first explore the biological interaction through the app, then describe the species and present it to non-specialist audience in a scientific way. This allows both disciplines to achieve their learning goals within a short, low-risk activity.  

Turning GenAI into everyday teaching practice

GenAI will only become meaningful in education when it is embedded into everyday teaching practice. AquaReality cards show how this can be done in a way that is accessible, adaptable and relevant across disciplines. 

The key is not the technology itself but how it is used. By starting with curiosity, designing for flexibility and focusing on collaboration, educators can turn GenAI from an abstract concept into a practical tool that enhances learning. 

Rather than asking what AI can do, the more useful question is: how can it help students see, explore and connect ideas more effectively?

Cindy Lam is assistant professor of science education in the department of ocean science; Sai Kit Yeung is professor of division integrative systems and design in the departments of computer science and engineering and ocean science; Kenichiro Takei is research assistant (Unreal Engine game designer) in the department of ocean science, all at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

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