I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving break. It is so nice to just get away from the day to day grind of the classroom every now and then. Unfortunately, we can’t always get away in real life, so getting away virtually is the next best thing. If you haven’t experienced VR (virtual reality) then you should give it a try. It is best when experienced through a headset, but you can get the gist of exploring a virtual world on a monitor or your phone’s screen. Some virtual experiences, like games, are completely imaginary, while others are digitized versions of the real World. For example, take a few minutes to relax on the beach, or take a tour of Paris. These kinds of virtual escapes can be so enjoyable, but they can also be educational.
I have been looking forward to next semester because I was
going to offer a course on using Google’s VR tools Tour Creator, Tour Builder,
and Expeditions. Then, just a few weeks ago, Google announced that it will be discontinuing
these resources. As frustrating as this news is, I have already started working
on a new course to help teachers create their own virtual content that students
can do on their Chromebook or smartphones. Until then, here are some ways you can get you
and your students out of the classroom without having to leave the building.
Search YouTube for 360
Videos to share with your students. There are 360 videos for just about
every subject.
Find 360 resources at
https://schools.360cities.net/.
This site has a lot of great 360 photos from around the world, and they are in
process of creating guided tours as well.
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