Written by Andrew Willems
Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!
My apologies to Dr. Seuss, but this is exactly how I felt introducing my class to Google Cardboard.
Question: What can Google Cardboard, a Galaxy J3 phone, earbuds, and a room full of freshmen do for you? Answer: Bring virtual reality (VR) to your classroom!
I serve at Lakeside Lutheran High School, and we received a generous donation of 50 cell phones and 50 Google Cardboards. If you have never seen Google Cardboard before, take a look at it here. It is a cheaper way to introduce you and your classroom to VR. With a good pair of headphones, you can be transported into another world to see and experience things you don’t get in a classroom every day.
A crack team of interested students and I spent time getting the phones ready, looking at and downloading some apps, and practicing with VR. Then we unleashed it on some unsuspecting freshmen. For the most part, there was little introduction needed and very little explanation about how and what to do. We chose the following apps for our initial experience: Google Cardboard, Cedar Point VR, Caribbean VR, Google Expeditions.
The Google Cardboard App had an introduction to operating and syncing the phone to the Cardboard. It may be a good idea for younger students, but the freshmen didn’t really need to do it. Google Cardboard also gives the user a menu for Google-related VR products and has a VR camera app included.
Next we did Cedar Point VR, a 1:45 rollercoaster ride. Yes, my hands got sweaty going up the hill to start. Yes, I got nauseous as I looked around while on the roller coaster. No, you can’t raise your hands on the ride, and no, there is no feeling of G-force, but it was a pretty realistic sensation.
After that, we went snorkeling in the Caribbean. There is some mention of evolutionary topics but no more than in a science textbook. It was an interesting trip without the expense of traveling to a coral reef.
Google Expeditions was released to the public in July 2017, and there are new journeys added all the time. The teacher (Leader) can take students (Followers) on a journey through time. While this isn’t a video, only 360-degree pictures, Expedition gives you an excellent educational journey. There are scripted readings and questions about times, people, places, and events in American history. There is a little icon to get the class all focused on the same item, but freely viewing and looking around is available. There are literally 100s more apps available for VR use, most free, some for sale. Find what works best for you!
Now, VR does have its drawbacks. The biggest one is price. To have a lifelike VR experience will set you back around $1,400 for a large computer and a state-of-the-art headset. But a local business or cell phone dealer may be able to help you out. That’s how we received $9,000 worth of equipment.
Some videos work better with viewers other than the Google Cardboard viewers we had, but when the videos are free, there is nothing lost.
This may be the next big thing in education. It’s too early to tell and, as with the first laptops, it may be cost-prohibitive—for now. But with a little experimentation and reading, you could have a technology with unlimited potential in the hands of your students today. Oh, the places you’ll go!
Andrew (Drew) Willems (DMLC ’89) is serves as the director of technology for Lakeside Lutheran High School-Lake Mills WI.
REFERENCES
Clark, Holly, Duckworth, Sylvia, Heil, Jeffery, Hotler, David, Piercey, Donnie, & Thumann, Lisa, (2017). The Google Cardboard Book; Explore, Engage, and Educate with Virtual Reality. EdTechTeam Press.
Google VR Team. (2017, August 30) Retrieved from https://vr.google.com/cardboard/
Kilpatrick, Euan. Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss (2017, October 24) Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42gHsSLbS_Y
Miller, Matt. Ditch That Textbook. (2017, August 30) 12 ways to use Google Cardboard in your class. Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vapps.mobileappstore
Mobile App Store – Android Apps on Google Play. (2017, September 4) Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vapps.mobileappstore