Virtual Reality and Uses in the Classroom

The Issue- As a teacher, a big issue I often have is how to stay on the cutting edge of educational technology.  Using new technology can be intimidating and the learning curve can seem steep.  Not to mention that there seems to be an unlimited variety of educational technological innovations.  How can one even pick a technology?  Then, how do you learn to use said technology and apply it effectively in the classroom?  This barrage of questions may cause anxiety and scare off teachers from growing.  That's why it it important sometime to simply take a step back and focus on adding just one new technology into their classroom at a time.

Link to interactive Piktochart

Well today, I am going to focus on just one technology.  Let's take it slow and learn how to use Virtual Reality
 

What resources will I need?- Virtual Reality classroom sets are available for purchase.  The cost is significant, so teachers would have to consider funding and collaborate with other administration to plan how to acquire a set.  Schools should look at virtual reality sets as an investment and a valuable resource.  Click this link for a company, eweb360, that specializes in classroom virtual reality sets.  If the cost of a Virtual Reality set is too high, there are cheaper options, such as using Google Cardboard cutouts.  Google Cardboard is exactly what it sounds like, you will follow procedure to cut out and create a Virtual Reality headset using cardboard.  While these cardboard headsets are a far cry from the keading virtual reality headsets, they are an effective and affordable option.  Also, teachers may want to try out a few assignments using cardboard sets before beginning the process of seeking funding for better headsets.

Why use VR?- Virtual Reality is an amazing way to give your students a new and interactive experience. Students can travel to the world without leaving the classroom.  Imagine putting on a VR headset, stepping out the classroom and into the Globe Theater in London, England.  Students who are visual learners will love the opportunity to visualize and explore the theater home to many of Shakespeare's plays, rather than simply reading information in a textbook.  Ask yourself, what would your students reactions be if you told them they would be taking a virtual reality field trip to travel across the globe?  In fact, 93% of surveyed teachers believe that their students would be excited to use virtual reality.  This excitement is the main reason to consider using virtual reality.  If students are looking forward to learning and exploring, then a teacher is doing something right.


Explore locations and cultures across the globe-  As teachers, we stress the importance of students having new experiences and meeting and learning from other cultures.  Virtual Reality provides students with a chance to travel across the world.  Virtual field trips are an amazing new way for students to see, hear, and experience new places.  You may worry about how a teacher could possibly design a virtual fieldtrip.  You don't have to.  There are numerous sites and apps that provide virtual reality field trips for the classroom.  One great resource is Google Expeditions.  As a teacher, you would only have to explore and select field trips that are appropriate to your content and learning goals. 

Career and College Preparedness-  It is our responsibility to make sure students are prepared for life after high school.  College visits and career shadowing are valuable experiences that schools can provide, but sometimes the costs and logistics of such trips can be a difficult.  Virtual Reality headsets can provide students with some of these experiences.  A student who is considering possible career paths would benefit from the opportunity to put on a VR headset and experience many different job experiences using virtual reality.  Students could also take virtual college campus tours without ever having to travel outside of the school. 


Teaching Technological Literacy-  Teachers can also create their own virtual reality explorations using the app Google Cardboard.  Or, if teachers are feeling bold, you can ask your students to take 360 pictures using this app Google Cardboard.  This way, students can learn hoe to use a new technology and can share out their Google Cardboard 360 photos with the rest of the class.  Using this technology would push students to use their imaginiation to share a virtual reality experience with their class.  Anytime a student can use their own cell phone for educational purposes is a win.  This is the type of assignment that will create an excitement for learning in your classroom, and you can bet other teachers will be asking how you pulled off such a cool lesson. 

News and Social Awareness: It is important that students are aware of local, national, and global news stories and events.  Virtual reality news sites are a great way for a student to immerse him or herself into the happenings of the world.  It is easier to connect to a news story from another country with virtual reality news.  There are a few quality news resources that are worth checking out.  For example, roadtovr provides the news of the day and even has some VR coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics.  Another great resource is uploadvr.   Using VR news will help engage you students with news that is important to them and news that affects others across the globe. 

Final Appeal: Now that we have explored some of the resources, uses, and reasons for uning VR in the classroom, I think it is time to give it a try.  As of today, I have not used VR in the classroom.  I plan to build the use of virtual reality into my upcoming unit on "culture".  I am going to begin by using simple carboard cutout VR headsets.  Again, it is ok to start small.  Then I plan to find appropriate VR fieldtrips that cover some of the countries we plan to read about in this unit.  I am excited for my students to visit a place and immerse themselves in the life and culture of another country. 

Don't allow yourself to be intimidated by technology.   Focus on one skill, and take a risk.  I believe that the classroom of the future is only possible if we as teachers are willing to step out of our comfort zone and venture into new and unknown areas.  If you can get a class excited and passionate about a topic by using VR, then it is worth it to take the plunge and try our virtual reality in your classroom. 

References

Kolo, Kris. (2017, December 13). Virtual Reality: The Next Generation of Education, Learning, and Training. Retrieved January 26, 2018 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/12/13/virtual-reality-the-next-generation-of-education-learning-and-training/#6cce4d93733f

[Gadgetsforgeeks]. (2015, July 2). Google cardboard assembly: step by step instructions [Video File]. Retrieved February 11, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KqJAUIG5M8.

[Google for Education]. (2016, May 19). Google expeditions [Video File]. Retrieved February 11, 2018 from https://youtu.be/3MQ9yG_QfDA.