Page 164 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

LEARNING TRANSPORTED

The purposeful activities that combine AR, interaction, and learning are well
executed in this app.
Want to test the experience of using a MERGE Cube to see how it might work with
your classroom? You can download and construct a paper version that will work
with your mobile device. Instructions are available here: tinyurl.com/y9r29jto.

Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips are one of the prime categories driving the popularity of virtual
reality in the classroom. These types of field trips go beyond a digital experience to
a virtual reality experience by giving a 360° view. The field trips give our students
access to lead their own tour as they direct which location to explore. Students can
spend the amount of time they need to discover new areas, artifacts, cultures, and
more.
Student standards continue to emphasize global citizenship. As our students are
required to have more connections around the world, we often look for these
connections through video chats. A live video chat is one option to build global
connections, but we must begin with building global knowledge to avoid offensive
comments or propagating inaccurate facts. Preparing for international collabora-
tion should include providing background for your students on the geography and
culture of the students they will be interacting with. A virtual field trip can provide
perspective, cultural sensitivity, and relatable conversations.

Allowing our students to explore anywhere in the world has many advantages. We
are able to use virtual field trips to bring our students to impossible places such
as a different time era, inside the cell of a living creature, or into an active vol-
cano. These adventures can add depth to our lesson plans and replace or enhance
pictures inside of a textbook. As students have more engagement with virtual field
trips in their learning, there is a greater opportunity to deepen meaning, relevance,
and retention.

Google Earth
Google Earth has been around for some time. What began as a website became an
app and most recently added the benefits of 3D and 360° views. Exploring the
world through satellite imagery is fascinating to reveal remote destinations and cap-
ture moments in history. To use Google Earth, use the Chrome browser and open
earth.google.com or download the app in the Google Play or App Store. If you have
an HTC Vive or an Oculus Rift, you have access to Google Earth VR. I anticipate the

72

Learning Transported: Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality for All Classrooms 164