Virtual reality in the classroom

Different Types

-Virtual reality- you put headset on and see environment and can track movement 

-augmented reality glasses and headset you can see through to the real world and have features that interact with real world such as google glasses (watching movies on google glasses). 

-Extended reality (XR) emerges both virtual and augmented reality: fighter pilots, military equipment etc…

-Tethered: such as the play station VR uploads everything to the play station not the headset as it requires you to plug it into the ps4. 

Playstation VR: can track your hand movements 

Titanic VR and how this software can be used in classrooms: 

Students can learn while engaging. There is also one about Apollo 11 which I think would be more appropriate. Titanic might be a little too intense.

Pros:

Hands on learning

Technology continues to advance high performance 

Cons:

Outdated hardware 

Gaming bias

Motion sickness

Expensive ($450 MSRP)

Immobile

Arduous setup 

Meta Quest 2

Newer: released in 2020

Educational Applications

Librarium: customizable studying library, comes with courses already on it, you can make your own flashcards

Hands physics lab: Manipulatives in VR for math

Nanome: Chemistry visualization software

Star Chart: 

Pros:

Portable

Affordable ($399)

Diverse software

Less gaming bias

More of a computer than gimmick: has its own browser and file

Software support

Cons:

Lower computing power (you have to charge often)

Only 4 hours of play time without being connected 

Potentially distracting for students

One at a time educational software still limited

Limited support for people with physical limitations (very movement based technology)

Can be wifi dependent however you can run games as long as they are downloaded

Completely wifi dependant 

It is fascinating how humans have been able to create such amazing technology and I think this is potentially a really beneficial way to get kids learning with any learning ability. 

Virtual Field Trips Presentation

Jamboard: create a jamboard about natural animal habitats

Boomcards: you can create your own learning cards

Create Kai XR: they could design their very own habitat 

Canva: you could create a passport with stickers on Fridays they could mark where they went that day for their virtual field trip

Thinglink: anther resource for making the field trip experience fun

Grade 8 a virtual field trip to Mount St. Helens

Supplemental tool:

Screencastify

Jamaboard

Youtube

Quizlet

You Visit

Kahoot: students could make their own kahoot

Pros:

Virtual field trip would be more engaging than learning from a textbook

Inclusivity: financially all students can attend 

Cons:

Technology doesn’t always work also (logging in seems to be time consuming)

I like the idea of field trip Fridays, and decorating your room and making it feel special for the class instead of just doing the virtual part. I also like the idea of pausing and taking (educational) breaks, where the students are still learning but taking a break from sitting on the screen.

Slideshow technology:

Canva

Power point 

Screencastify