Cool,” “neat,” “awesome,” “whoa” and any other adjectives you can think to say when you are impressed — that has been the initial reaction to The Alabama Baptist’s (TAB) new augmented reality version of the paper.
Launched with the Aug. 27 issue, the enhancement to the print and digital editions of the paper is made possible thanks to a partnership with Samford University in Birmingham.
Chris J. McCaghren, assistant to the president for external programs at Samford, made the technology work for Samford as well as TAB.
“At Samford we are continually experimenting with new technologies to bridge time and space gaps for our students and faculty,” McCaghren wrote in the augmented reality introductory article in TAB’s Aug. 27 issue. “If you follow the steps outlined (on this page) and hold your smartphone or tablet over the pages in the paper marked with ‘augmented reality,’ then you will see this cutting-edge technology in action.
“Open the Aurasma app and hold your device as if you are taking a photo of the page and a seemingly holographic image will find its way on top of the page.”
In addition to expanded news coverage and extra items offered by TAB staff and columnists, Samford’s Ministry Training Institute (MTI) will be offering free courses in the paper each week.
The photo below is the “classroom” and will be the same each week. A mobile device with the Aurasma app open is the gateway to watch the lecture.
The lectures will be eight to 10 minutes in length and will feature “some of the greatest theological and pastoral minds in our state,” McCaghren said.
Kevin Blackwell, assistant to the president for church relations at Samford, directs MTI.
“We are pleased to expand our MTI offerings to include readers of The Alabama Baptist,” Blackwell said. “MTI offers on-site Bible and ministry courses at 20 locations throughout Alabama and the Southeast and now readers of The Alabama Baptist will get a sneak peek of upcoming courses.”
For instance the Book of Revelation will be taught at some sites during the second fall term and many other sites during one of the 2016 spring terms.
“As part of that course students will learn about the letters of Christ to the seven churches of Asia Minor, and beginning with this issue readers of The Alabama Baptist will get a taste of what those classes will be like,” Blackwell said.
MTI exists to equip Christians to be leaders in their churches and communities through theological education and ministry training. For more information, visit www.samford.edu/go/mti.
How to get started
Go to your app store and search for Aurasma.
Download the free Aurasma app on any iOS or Android device.
Option to set up an account or skip (either one is OK).
Open the Aurasma app and tap the triangle icon at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the magnifying glass at the bottom of the screen and search for “ALBaptist.”
Choose the “ALBaptist” profile and tap “Follow.”
Tap the [ ] icon at the bottom of the screen.
You will see pulsating dots. Hold your device over a page or image marked as augmented reality and watch the paper come to life (pp. 1, 2, 5, 17 this week).
When your next issue of TAB arrives, open the app and hold your device over articles and images marked as augmented reality.
Share with others: