Edtech

Virtual reality sounds like a far-off futuristic concept. When we hear the words “virtual reality” we may think of people wearing big helmets that transport them to another location from the comfort of their home (or classroom). However, virtual reality is slowly becoming a reality in the classroom. It doesn’t look quite like what you might imagine, but it is improving all the time.

The potential benefits of virtual reality in the classroom are endless. Students from schools all over the world could have access to the same resources and experiences through virtual reality, creating an even playing field like we’ve never seen before in education. Students could use virtual reality to travel back in time and see history come to life, or to take field trips to far-off locations that would cost hundreds to travel to in real life.

There are a handful of companies already working to make virtual reality accessible to classrooms around the world. These programs are still in the early stages, but they are promising, and they hint at what we might see in the future once virtual reality in the classroom takes off.

Google Expeditions

Google is well-known for technology innovation in many areas. From search engines to self-driving cars, Google is on the cutting edge. So it’s no surprise that Google is jumping into the realm of virtual reality in education.

Google’s Expeditions app allows students to take virtual reality field trips. It’s designed to be an affordable entry into the world of virtual reality for educators. The app can run on just about any smartphone. Students just need Google’s Cardboard, a virtual reality viewer made of cardboard and available through Google for about $15 each. Schools can also choose to buy kits that come with phones, Cardboard viewers, and a tablet for teachers to lead expeditions.

Considering that Google Expeditions is fairly new, there are a surprising number of virtual trips available. Students can take a trip through a virtual underwater shipwreck or coral reef. They can walk through the Coliseum in Rome, or look around Pearl Harbor to learn about World War II.

Students aren’t limited to real places, either. They can travel back in time to see history unfold before their eyes, or take a virtual trip through the human body. Trips like this would never be possible without virtual reality.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many interactive elements to the Google Expeditions experience yet. Students can visit places, but they can’t interact with their environment like they might on a real field trip. In this way, virtual reality is still catching up to the real world.

Nearpod

Nearpod is a platform for teachers to create interactive online lessons for students. It’s a bit like PowerPoint, if PowerPoint allowed students to move at their own pace and included interactive elements. The folks at Nearpod are also working on incorporating virtual reality into the platform with Nearpod VR.

Nearpod VR allows teachers to create lessons that contain virtual reality content. Students might read an article about ocean ecosystems, then put on their virtual reality headset and take a trip to the bottom of the sea. It’s a good balance between the pure fun of virtual reality and more traditional educational activities, and it’s certain to appeal to teachers and students alike.

However, Nearpod is not a free service, and the Nearpod VR service comes at an additional cost. If you want to get in on the cutting edge of virtual reality in the classroom, you’ll have to be willing to pay.

For now, virtual reality in the classroom might not be a reality for all schools. It can be costly and limited in its uses. But educators should take note—virtual reality is becoming more sophisticated and accessible, and it may soon be as common as computers in classrooms.

How do you envision virtual reality in the classrooms of the future? Let us know how you think virtual reality could be used in the classroom in the future, or tell us how you’re using it today.

Pokémon Go did two things for society; introduced us to the capabilities of augmented reality (AR) and showed us how much adults enjoyed catching virtual animals. Augmented reality in the education sector is growing, and as it does, it is important to look how the potential of AR can be harnessed in the classroom.  While AR is primarily focused in the gaming industry (at the moment) statistics show that consumers value AR products 33% higher than non-augmented reality products and that students are naturally entranced by how AR can change the world around them.

However, while it may be the new “it” technology, educators need to understand how they can incorporate AR into their classrooms if it is to be used to its full potential.

The most obvious benefit of augmented reality in education is that it changes the way that students interact with their world and in turn; the way they learn their subject content.  Deeper Learning With QR Codes and Augmented Reality: A Scannable Solution for Your Classroom by Monica Burns is an excellent book that provides educators with examples of how to use AR efficiently.  The overall aim of AR is in the name itself, it wants to “augment” reality and in doing so, teach students more about what they see and how to see it.

Premade resources are a great place for educators to start. Carlon books have published a number of books that are already integrated with AR technology.  Students simply need a smartphone, and they can bring the pages of textbooks to life. Numerous companies are publishing books encoded with AR possibilities. For educators, premade resources, such as these, take away the stress of being involved with the technological aspect of lesson planning, while still giving students a novel way to engage with content.

Another great way to integrate AR into the classroom is by custom making “markers.” Marker images serve as triggers to display AR content on or over the surface. There are a variety of apps that make this process easy and by having custom content teachers can ensure that the AR is directly linked to the content of the lesson. Two of the more popular apps are Aurasma and Layar, both work on IOS and Android devices and require nothing more than an account set up.

Printing AR-enabled worksheets allows students the chance to engage with the AR at home. This can make homework more engaging, and students can explore the AR opportunities as well as the content in their own time; an aspect that is important if students are to foster a positive relationship with education and technology.  The International Society for Technological Education has a great number of resources on how to produce printable AR worksheets. These can be adjusted to fit any age group and subject matter.

Augmented reality can also make class trips more informative. Many museums and historical sites have added AR features to their exhibits in order to appeal to a population that is dependent on technology for information. AR makes exhibits are replacing the “guided audio” tours that were popular in the early 2000s.  Students and guests can now get additional information through their screens and customize their experiences. Curators are usually involved in the creation of these AR experiences, ensure that that information is accurate and well sourced.

So, if augmented reality it to be effectively incorporated into education it needs to push students to explore, and in that exploration; learn. Educators need to see AR as a way to expand their student’s horizons. By bringing education to life, both students and teachers can engage with subject content in a new fun way.

Many schools support a Bring Your Device (BYOD) policy for teachers. Other schools provide products like iPads and iPhones for teachers to use in their classes. Either way, there are plenty of apps that can be used in the classroom on an iPhone or an iPad. Some apps work well for different things, but they all are designed to do one thing: make the teaching process easier and more productive at the same time. Here are some apps that are essential to use on an iPhone in the classroom to gain that easy productivity to meet all needs and desires a teacher may have.

MasteryConnect

MasteryConnect is a great app for keeping aligned with Common Core State Standards. It keeps the information for each standard right at a teacher’s fingertips for ease of use. These standards are organized by grade level and subject, so they are easy to navigate. Other resources exist within the app, too, such as tools needed for teachers who work with English-Language Learners and students with special needs. The interface is easy to use and lessens the need to make endless photocopies or having to reference the app every, single time a lesson or unit is made.

Pick a Student

Students must be held accountable for their participation in class discussions, so it is important that everyone has a chance to speak his or her mind. Coffee can with popsicle sticks is a thing of the past now. Apps like Pick a Student does much of the same task without having to make a physical means of tracking information about who has and who has not participated. Multiple class lists with students’ names can be made with ease, and even smaller groups of students can make into lists. The randomize button on the screen picks which student should answer. These apps are great for review sessions or Socratic circle discussions.

All the Timers

Using a timer to keep students focused and on topic with their answers is essential for preparation for state exams or making sure students do not cut themselves short or take too long. Certain iPhones and iPads come standard with both of a Sand Timer and a Traffic Light. These apps are interactive and visually appealing, but they do not use numbers like normal countdown timers. This visual aid is less pressing than watching numbers count down. The Traffic Light is especially helpful because it sections off the time visually, thus making students focus on what to say and when to wrap everything up.

Organize the Classroom Library

Organizing a classroom library according to student interests is one thing. However, making sure the books are also organized according to the level of difficulty is important, too. The BookLeveler does exactly this task without having to do a lot of research in the meantime. By scanning a barcode on a book, users can locate the level of a text with ease. Typing in the name of a book and the author works just as well, too.

GroovyGrader

The iPhone also has an app that can make grading all the easier. GroovyGrader allows teachers to figure out the percentages of questions that students struggle with rather easily. In other words, it does the math for teachers when it comes to converting grades into percentages.

Scan those Documents

Keeping track of paperwork can be a trial in patience for teachers. However, there is an iPhone app that will make tracking paperwork so much easier. DocScan HD allows pictures of documents to be turned in PDFs or JPGs without much of a hassle. This app comes with an upgrade that then stores the files automatically in Dropbox, a cloud sharing service.

Conclusion

There are so many apps that are available on the iPhone for teachers and students to use. These are necessary for a functional classroom at all costs. Ironically, most of these apps do not cost anything to use, and those apps that do charge a fee are relatively affordable compared to other programs that do not operate on a mobile device as easily. A teacher living in these modern times simply cannot live with iPhone apps such as these.

Classroom management is a skill that educators struggle with daily. Management strategies have to be adapted to fit different classroom sizes, age group, and behavioral patterns. Technology brings with it excitement, but in edtech classrooms, it is another aspect that educators have to police. Younger students naturally require more observation, but regardless, classroom management is an important aspect of any successful class. So, below are some ideas on how to use technology in but still be in control of the happenings behind the screens.

Historically, the classroom has changed very little in its layout. Teachers speak at the front and students are aligned in desks towards the back. Technology aims to bring students to the forefront of education and so a traditional classroom set out is not conducive to this new type of learning nor does it aid in classroom management. Educators need to now have an eye on their students and their screens. In higher grades, this can be accomplished by walking around and teaching from the back of the class, but with younger children, it proves more of a challenge.

Station rotation is a classroom management tool that is explored in  Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools by Michael Horn and Heather Staker. This classroom management technique is encouraged in K- 12 classes and has shown to have positive results in regards to classroom management and overall effectiveness of technology use. By having a number of stations with different tasks, educators can keep an eye on smaller groups using technology and can walk around and do micro-teaching. Students are given the freedom to work on a task but not without the control that comes with the job at each station. This method also changes the classroom set out and allows for student-centered learning.

Keeping students on task is hard for any educator. Devices bring with accessibility to the internet and other apps. As much as the classroom management is necessary, the upkeep of the technology is equally as important. This means ensuring that security functions are up to date, search options are child safe and that no additional apps are downloaded to act as distractions. Clearlock and AppBlock are free apps that allow educators to manage what apps a student can access and for how long. Apps such as they aid in curbing

 In 2014 only 16 % of students were provided with a personable tablet by their schools and the statistics on other devices is not much better. What this suggests, regarding classroom management, is that sharing of devices is a reality. Educators need to be ready to ensure that every student has a chance to engage with edtech if they are to reap the rewards. The station rotation method works well here as does group work.  By encouraging students to work together, educators foster relationships and make the use of a technology a social and an educational tool.

Another tried and tested classroom management technique is the policing the types of technology that are allowed in a particular class or lesson. “No Phone Zones” and rules around when technology is appropriate, ensure that educators have control on what can be out on desks and what can’t. Students need to understand that technology is not a free pass and that there are rules that exist around their use. This

So, new technology comes with new classroom management obstacles. Classrooms need to adapt to include technology, and if this is to be done effectively, then the traditional classroom will not do. Station rotation, group work and ensuring that the technology is secure is a good place to start. Students need to know what is expected of them and how technology is an aspect of the classroom and not a replacement of one.