June 11, 2018
Nearly one year into our two-year grant process, we're taking a moment to reflect and share our findings:
Reactions from teachers and students:
- Teachers are seeing the potential for heightened engagement and understanding with VR. Even those who had serious doubts are quickly discovering how easy it is to incorporate VR into a lesson.
- Those who have tried it have sought out repeat experiences. As stated in our application, a VR experience can be one component in a larger lesson that increases empathy, engagement and understanding.
- Student reaction has been overwhelming. Beyond the 'cool' factor, VR offers differentiation for all learners. Rather than reading or viewing images, students verbalize "how much better it is to BE there." (see Reflections tab for classroom examples.)
- We're seeing significantly improved attention to detail when utilizing VR with our special education students.
However, there is no one curation source for quality content. Your Library Media Specialist can help.
We curate content from the best 360 providers. Nearpod is only one source. Other better providers include (more are added every day):
Recommended steps for utilizing VR in the classroom:
- Students can use their phones, an iPad or their chromebook. Chromebook: Just click & drag to move around; iPad: launch video and move around; Phones and Google Cardboard viewers: Open in YouTube app (will not appear split-screen for viewers otherwise), tilt the phone so it's landscape orientation, tap the cardboard "goggles" icon, and insert in your viewer.
- Make sure device is on correct wifi (Student devices should be on 'rps_my_byod.' Library iPads should be on 'rpsbyod.')
- Launch lesson via Nearpod, a link from a Googlesite, YouTube, or from the app of the content provider (See Content by Subject tab.)
What comes next?
- Year two of working with full Nearpod licenses. Nearpod continues to add to their VR content library. Gathering further evidence of experiences and impact. Curating more VR content.
- Working to make VR experiences available to more RPS students by adding more classroom sets of viewers and encouraging teachers to give it a try!
- Viewers are available for checkout from the Library Learning Commons. Talk to us for help locating content.
- Climbing the SAMR ladder: Students create VR content for local or, even better, global sharing, reflection and storytelling (we have 360 cameras/some apps allow for the creation of 360 images) using:
- Google Street View app
- Cardboard Camera app
- Storyspheres
- CoSpaces
- Google's VR Tour Creator
- Three Ways to Make your own VR Tours