Breakdown of Cost

Summary

The goal is to begin a VR/AR pilot through Summer Workshop and Leadership Academy. Year 1 of the pilot program will continue through the 2019-20 school year with an intentional and targeted focus on 7th grade Science and Social Studies district-wide. Upon the completion of Year 1, I will fine-tune this plan so that the kit and professional development can be replicated on a larger scale moving forward.

Versatility and Cost-Effectiveness

Building our own AR/VR Kits not only saves us approximately $1,800 for a kit (10 devices) when compared to vendors' quotes (Lenovo, Tierney, Best Buy for Education), but also allows for a more versatile kit. Packaged kits often focus on one tool, whereas our kit will allow us to take our students up to 7 different directions, VR and AR – including content creation.

Purchase of iPod Touches (10) vs. BYOD

The 7th grade team at Karrer had a few kids create Google Tour Creator projects (Google Expeditions) for each other. The kids made use of Google Cardboard, and BYOD. These are limitations of BYOD we encountered:

• BYOD student devices necessarily involve a wide variety of devices, operating systems, settings, and apps. This requires a wide range of trouble-shooting expertise on the part of the teachers. Having a set of iPod Touches makes all devices identical. That ensures that the system and apps are up-to-date, and troubleshooting is similar and minimal.
• BYOD student devices often have large cases and Popsockets - That makes Google Cardboard glasses difficult to fit onto devices, if they fit all.
• BYOD student devices assume that kids share their own personal devices with students who don't have a mobile device of their own. The school is potentially liable if a student breaks another student's mobile device.
• BYOD student devices wouldn't likely have the apps that we need for these activities. Although free, not all students have the ability to install apps on their own mobile device nor do they have the space to do so. District iPod Touches will be "lean and mean" - They'll only have the apps we are counting on using - Nothing else.