Year 1 Reflection

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):

Nearpod VR (Nearpod's VR lesson library incorporates 360 images, not video. Teachers can add a web link in a Nearpod lesson to a 360 video.)
Discovery Education VR
360Cities (used to only feature 360 images, now adding 360 videos)
YouTube 360 Note: searching here will also return videos that are not really 360 but have "360" in the title.
VR Tube app - search results will only contain real 360° videos
National Geographic
NY Times VR
One can also use Google Streetview. Open the app, search a location and "place" yourself there.
Many other companies are creating great content including CNN, USA Today, LifeVR, BBC, PBS, Timelooper and more each 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

Student Responses (after exploring sacred sites worldwide. For more, see the "Reflections" tab):

I think we should learn more about the history of places and how it developed and try to incorporate it with VR.
The colors were very different. For example, the Asian shrines and temples were red, green, gold, and black. The St. Patrick's cathedral was white, and the Jerusalem wall is a pale tan.
The church is sacred as the floor and walls are cracked. Also the Bell looks worn and the paint is not in good condition with cracks and chipping.
For example, France looked very historical, whereas Tokyo looked also historical, but a bit more modern.
Does virtual reality give you the same learning experience that seeing the sacred place in person does? And if so, how do you learn from virtual reality?
I think we should visit Africa's deserts and what their day may be like and Antarctica's wildlife and a day in the life of someone who lives there.
Could we incorporate VR into class more often? What else can we learn about using VR?
I suggest we visit underwater or outer space.
I wonder if outer space will have virtual reality one day. Maybe this feature can be added to satellites to do this. Maybe, this can also help astronomers before they head to outer space.
Is there something like a virtual school, or somewhere where people could be educated in virtual reality?
Was virtual reality created to let people travel to places that they never will in real life?
What other inventions like VR can help people live better lives?

A very special thanks to the Ridgefield Education Foundation for their generous support!

-Janine Johnson, Library Media Specialist, Scotts Ridge Middle School

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