Virtual Reality

New frontiers are constantly being forged in the world of technology, and I'm exploring another one this week. But last week I outlined some goals, so I want to address how those are going before I elaborate on my fist step into virtual reality.

If you'll recall, my immediate goal was to incorporate QR codes into my classes' daily warm ups to give students some guidance on where to start. That can be considered a success. I made sure that 

our classroom set of iPads all had QR readers installed before class began on Tuesday, and I included these nifty hints with the math problems of the day. When students inevitably told me they did not know how to approach the problem, I directed them to use the readers for a hint. For the most part, the hints got kids going in the right direction, and I was able to get rolling with planners and daily goals.

My sixth period class, which is in dire need of some enrichment opportunities, are now in charge of WISE website design. We nominated a few tech savvy kiddos, and they will be getting a site developed when they do not have any missing assignments to work on. Once it is in place, phase two will consist of getting the word out through carefully placed QR codes throughout the school.

And lastly, I have made extended my presence on social media. I have over a hundred great pins on my Pinterest boards, and I have begun to tweet some great resources and activities. As a matter of fact, I have created just a shade under one-third of the tweets Mark Zuckerberg has... #growthmindset.

Now, as for the future: I got my very first look at virtual reality today. Being the dinosaur that I am, I searched for Google cardboard at all my local retailers before catching on that none of them had any idea what I was talking about, and eventually ordered the EIGHTones self-assembled VR kit from Amazon. With one-day shipping it ran me just under $20, which I must admit is a lot lower than I would have expected. It's easy to assemble (it took me about three minutes, including the obligatory head-scratching); the slots on the cardboard are numbered and a QR code that links to a simple how-to video is printed directly on the apparatus. Here's a look:
EightOnes VR Kit, 2015).

Pretty simple stuff. The cardboard folds over into a compact vessel with which to hold your iPhone or android inches from your face without letting the outside world in. Aside from the phone, it's made up of household materials such as the cardboard, tape, magnets, velcro strips, and a rubber band. Google even has even published blueprints on your own in case the several dollars it retails for is too much.

Once it was assembled, I tried out a few of the apps made specifically for Cardboard, that I had previously downloaded. Here is the rundown:

I tried the standard Cardboard app first, and found it a little tough to navigate. The split imaging is supposed to create the illusion of three dimensions, but it just made me feel as though I had been fed too many shots of Fireball at my cousin's frat party. I had the same response to Roller Coaster and Google Street View, although Liftoff VR was easier to manage. Basically, I came away unimpressed with the technology, while still realizing the potential is astronomical. I predict fifteen years from now we will look at these apps with the same nostalgic disgust that many of us hold for Atari games.

That's not to say this technology does not have applications in the classroom, however. Quite the opposite, in fact. For one thing, it is something new, which is always refreshing to an eighth-grader in March. The novelty is enough to get kids excited. I have already dropped a few hints that I will be using Cardboard as a reward, and it has piqued the interest of some students.

Beyond carrots, virtual reality has the potential to be transformative. Offhand, Google Street View, in conjunction with Cardboard, offers students the opportunity to walk around in places that they would otherwise not be able to visit with their classmates. Think the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and pyramids of Giza. Obviously there are some real connections for social studies teachers and foreign language teachers looking to immerse their students in culture. Science and math teachers can find meaningful content connections in apps similar to the rocket-launching of Liftoff VR. I have even seen VR

compatible flashcard apps. While not exactly transformative, such apps' existence proves that we are looking for ways to integrate virtual reality into education. Down the road, I can foresee whole class field trips to historical monuments and renowned art museums taking place within the classroom. And hopefully we will even get to a point in which students can create their own worlds to put on display for their peers to navigate. How beautiful would it be to walk around in a student's interpretation of Wonderland?                                                            
                                               
Along those lines, Dave Rickert (2016) speaks in his blog of a great VR storytelling app. Vrse gives the viewer the opportunity to be in the middle of such events as music videos or an SNL monologue, but also acts as a storytelling app. This storytelling could be the beginning of a giant shift in the way we explore writing in the classroom. And the engagement would be astronomical. It's only a few short years away.

As it stands now, the technology of Google Cardboard is shaky. From what I hear, I am in the minority with regard to ability to focus, but there are certainly people out there who will have the same issues. I have no doubt, though, that that will be corrected over time. What is more important is that VR has the potential to transform educational applications, and bring real-life experiences into the comfort and budget of the classroom.

References:

Rickert, Dave (2016). Google cardboard: The next big thing in ed tech? [Blog post] Retrieved from http://davidrickert.com/2016/02/08/google-cardboard/

EightOnes VR Kit. (2015, September 6). Assembling your EightOnes VR kit or EightOnes kit XL [video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1sYniuPRKQ

Liftoff VR for Google Cardboard (n. d.). [Image]. Retrieved from http://a3.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Purple69/v4/b0/fd/6e/b0fd6e80-aba1-2f5c-c44e-3a4bd8055dbb/screen640x640.jpeg

Related/Appropriate Blogs

Ed Tech Teacher:                            http://edtechteacher.org/blog/

Class Tech Tips:                              http://classtechtips.com/

Teacher Tech:                                  http://www.alicekeeler.com/teachertech/