Virtual Reality

(Is What We're Living In)

Fully Immersive Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality has come a long way since the days of Google Cardboard. It is now an immersive experience that will change how, why, and where students learn.

I'm using an Meta Quest 2 (which is less than the cost of a Chromebook). It does NOT need a separate computer to run.

Teaching in Virtual Reality:

  • Stream the VR headset live to your classroom projector, students can experience live.

  • Set up the problems in advance, put the headset on students, let them solve each of them.

...now with Handtracking! What does that mean? It means that students no longer have to use the remotes; they literally just can interact with the world around them with their hands. It's incredible!

VR Videos on a Phone

Youtube VR

Open the YouTube app (not the browser) and search for a VR video. You'll see the VR logo in the corner.

To start playback, tap the play button.

Tap the Cardboard icon . The screen split will split into two smaller screens.

Insert your phone into Cardboard.

Look around to view the video in VR180 or 360 degrees.

3D Virtual Design

CoSpaces Edu:

A design app that allows students to create whatever they want in a virtual space. It works on both Chromebooks AND mobile devices. This way, it can be shared and viewed by my easily. Down below is a copy a student Rube Goldberg Machine prototype and a virtual story cube.

The best part? These student prototypes can be viewed AND designed on a phone in Virtual OR Augmented Reality.

The Merge Cube Add-On

Works with .GIFs, too!

CoSpaces Edu: Augmented Reality

New Favorite VR App: Frame VR

FrameVR:

Join my frame here: https://framevr.io/mrpiercey

Collaborative Learning Spaces in Frame

Invite up to 20 collaborative learners into your frame with a simple link.

Pro-tip: have the link set up BEFORE hand.

A Collaborative VR Project Idea

Step One:

Share this Google Photos album of famous works of art with your class. This will give them some background knowledge (and also make it where you won't get 39 copies of "The Starry Night" once the project is completed

Step Two:

Challenge each student in your class to pick one and recreate it in any way that they choose. Just let them know that they have to be able to email a picture of it. Or, iff your school is back in person, you could take the picture for them.

Step Three:

Using CoSpaces Edu, combine all of these famous "works of art" into a virtual OR augmented reality museum that can be shared with anyone. CoSpaces can actually be used collaboratively, so you could have your students upload their own image onto a wall from their own device. Click here to view my class example.

Step Four:

Open the the CoSpace on your phone / tablet that has Augmented Reality enabled.

Click the "Play" button, then click "AR"

Point it at the floor / table top and click the screen

Resize if needed.

Step Five (bonus idea!):

Add the images that your class took into a Virtual Art Museum on a VR headset. Now it's a fully immersive experience!

Creating Your Own Street View

Let's create some Virtual Reality images.

  • Search the app store on your phone for "Street View" by Google.

  • Using the Street View app, go out and create some 360 degree images.

  • Find some interesting spots you would like to share imagery of.

Sample VR Image of the Northern Lights

Create Your Own Street View - Create Your Own with Phone

  • Open the Street View app Street View.

  • Tap Create Add photo.

  • In the bottom right, tap Camera Take photo.

  • Take a series of photos.

  • At the bottom, tap Done.

  • Your 360 photo is stitched together and saved in the "Private" tab on your phone. The photo is also saved on your phone (unless you turned this setting off).

Create Your Own Street View

Create Your Own Street View - 360 Camera

  • Set up and connect your phone and 360 camera

  • Tap the blue linked camera Street View camera .

  • In the "Profile" tab, look at the bottom right and you’ll see a blue circle with an orange ring spinning around it each time a new 360 photo has been taken. Don’t disconnect or turn off the camera until you see all your photos in the “Profile” tab.

With a 360 Camera

Storytelling with Your 360 Imagery

Embedding Street View

You can embed ANY Google Maps Street View image onto a Google Site,

Have the students embed the locations in their personal narratives onto a Google Site to create an interactive story.

Here's a student example (click to view)

Navigating Street View

  • Search for a place or address in Google Maps.

  • Drag Pegman to a place on the map.

  • Search for a place or address in Google search.

  • To look around, click and drag your mouse. You can also use the arrows to the left and right of the compass.

Tutorial