Virtual Reality
Week 4
What is virtual reality?
When you hear the terms virtual reality and education in the same context, you may be envisioning students engaged in games rather than deep progressions of learning or maybe a large computer, with thick and tangled cables. This thought of virtual reality is a true misconception some not-so tech savvy educators may have about any type of technology in the classroom. Virtual reality is an innovative and effective way for students to travel and explore places they never knew existed without leaving the classroom. Students can even time travel to the past and see images and media from significant events in history! There are numerous ways for educators to implement virtual reality into their everyday instructional. According to 10 Reasons To Use Virtual Reality In The Classroom (2017) "Through the use of digital technology, virtual realities can be designed precisely for human interaction for very specific reasons to create experiences not otherwise possible." To find more reasons to implement Virtual Reality experiences in the classroom, click here.
Virtual reality is usually comprised of one headset or head-mounted display that has been synced with the different stimuli. Strickland (2007) writes, "Today, most VR systems are powered by normal personal computers. PCs are sophisticated enough to develop and run the software necessary to create virtual environments. Graphics are usually handled by powerful graphics cards originally designed with the video gaming community in mind. The same video card that lets you play World of Warcraft is probably powering the graphics for an advanced virtual environment." Through the head-mounted display, students can view any experience that that specific device has installed.
Mashable. (April 15, 2014) What Is Virtual Reality & How Does It Work? Mashable Explains. Retrieved February 09, 2018 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBNH8tzsfVM
Strickland, J. (2007, June 29). How Virtual Reality Works. Retrieved February 09, 2018 from: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtual-reality4.htm
10 Reasons To Use Virtual Reality In The Classroom. (2017, May 02). Retrieved February 09, 2018 from: https://www.teachthought.com/technology/10-reasons-use-virtual-reality-classroom/
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ReplyDeleteErica,
ReplyDeleteYour blog was great! I am interested in implementing Virtual Reality into my classroom as well and have huge ideas for Science and Social Studies integration. I struggle with figuring out how to incorporate it into my Math and ELA units though. My school has a class set of headsets to use with Google Expeditions and it is very user friendly. I just have to plan ahead and be able to claim them for my classroom on a certain day!
Stacy
My school also has a class set of Google VR. They are pretty new to my district, so my school media specialist has implemented lessons integrating VR during the students essential arts time. Depending on the types of books you read in your classroom/grade level, maybe you could integrate VR into your ELA units to help students build background knowledge.
DeleteErica,
ReplyDeleteYou have done a really nice job on your infographic; it was very informative and comprehensive. I am also investigating the incorporation of virtual reality in the classroom; how far off on the horizon to you see its incorporation in the classroom? As an anatomy teacher, I have seen a couple apps on cell phones that let you explore the human body; however I do not have any experience with Google Expedition. A friend of mine has a gaming system that incorporates virtual reality- I love how it can immerse you in an active situation. I believe that the connection between learning and olfactory senses has not been explored significantly and could produce surprising results related to content knowledge acquisition.