Virtual Environment Tools
Google Tour Builder is an interesting way to create visual stories, embed images and videos, and take a learner to new levels of experience. It integrates story-telling with Google Earth. This would be great for History, Science, & Languages Arts. After experiencing Mary Howards Ancient Egyptian Tour, I realized that history would be so much more fun in today’s time, with technology enhancements, than it was in the “encyclopedia days” of my high school years. I also went on Jane Goodall’s tour of Tanzania’s Gombe National Park and learned about her work in the study of chimpanzees and evolution.
For math, Google Tour Builder could be used to connect applications to the real world. For example, for Geometry students studying right triangle trigonometry, tour builder could potentially connect students to construction sites where houses or apartments are being built- students could use measurements to calculate distances (board lengths) required to finish the roof. Or for circles, Tour Builder could zoom in to a logger in forest, standing next to a huge oak tree that he needs to cut. Students could use his measurements of circumference around the tree’s base to calculate the diameter (to decide how long the chain saw bar would need to be to cut it). They could also use dimensions to calculate board feet, weight, and how much the log would bring at a Sawmill. (On April 12th, a tornado came through near our property and we are still in the midst of cleanup!)
Virtual and augmented realities are both powerful resources that support student engagement through curiosity and movement. With virtual reality (VR), students are immersed in the experience. They wear a virtual headset or cardboard goggles to minimize distractions and focus solely on the screen that delivers the VR. This takes away all outside distractions and the student can feel as though they are present in the VR with 3D viewing. It makes it possible for students to go places and see things that they might not experience otherwise. In contrast, augmented reality (AR) allows students to scan a room and find 2D and 3D images that are overlayed within the room and help to tell a story or teach a concept. Students can collaborate and do not have to worry about surroundings (such as desks, chairs, or walls) while they are navigating the experience. I enjoyed reading Medium.com’s article Create Magic in your Classroom and EdSurge’s article Five Ways Teachers Can Use—and Create—Augmented Reality Experiences by Jeff Clark. Clark pointed out that VR/AR can be used for more than just virtual field trips and google expeditions, but also for virtual puzzles and scavenger hunts, and to foster student creativity. With a well designed VR/AR for student learning, that requires students to collaborate and think critically, the Four C’s a fostered. VR/AR can also move classroom experiences into the transformational aspect of the SAMR model.
I chose to explore augmented reality with Metaverse. Metaverse is a platform that allows users (teachers and students) to create and share virtual experiences easily. Metaverse allows you to arrange components on a storyboard, add 2d and 3d images, and even animations. Of course, I had to challenge myself to create a Math game, especially since there seem to be so very few of them. I found this collection of Metaverse AR experiences, and Math has the least amount. It took me about 2 hours to create the experience, but it connects 3d animated characters to math website links and questions to check understanding. When students answer the questions correctly, they advance, but if answered incorrectly, they are sent back to the website to review. There are four different questions in total, but students can complete the task by answering the first 3 correctly. Check out the video below for a preview, created by my 6th grade son who had never experienced an AR task, and tried to answer Algebra 2 questions! His reflection of the activity is that there are some students who would love it, but he thought it was hard to read, so I should probably use shorter sentences and larger images of problems, or a pause feature.
For math, Google Tour Builder could be used to connect applications to the real world. For example, for Geometry students studying right triangle trigonometry, tour builder could potentially connect students to construction sites where houses or apartments are being built- students could use measurements to calculate distances (board lengths) required to finish the roof. Or for circles, Tour Builder could zoom in to a logger in forest, standing next to a huge oak tree that he needs to cut. Students could use his measurements of circumference around the tree’s base to calculate the diameter (to decide how long the chain saw bar would need to be to cut it). They could also use dimensions to calculate board feet, weight, and how much the log would bring at a Sawmill. (On April 12th, a tornado came through near our property and we are still in the midst of cleanup!)
Virtual and augmented realities are both powerful resources that support student engagement through curiosity and movement. With virtual reality (VR), students are immersed in the experience. They wear a virtual headset or cardboard goggles to minimize distractions and focus solely on the screen that delivers the VR. This takes away all outside distractions and the student can feel as though they are present in the VR with 3D viewing. It makes it possible for students to go places and see things that they might not experience otherwise. In contrast, augmented reality (AR) allows students to scan a room and find 2D and 3D images that are overlayed within the room and help to tell a story or teach a concept. Students can collaborate and do not have to worry about surroundings (such as desks, chairs, or walls) while they are navigating the experience. I enjoyed reading Medium.com’s article Create Magic in your Classroom and EdSurge’s article Five Ways Teachers Can Use—and Create—Augmented Reality Experiences by Jeff Clark. Clark pointed out that VR/AR can be used for more than just virtual field trips and google expeditions, but also for virtual puzzles and scavenger hunts, and to foster student creativity. With a well designed VR/AR for student learning, that requires students to collaborate and think critically, the Four C’s a fostered. VR/AR can also move classroom experiences into the transformational aspect of the SAMR model.
I chose to explore augmented reality with Metaverse. Metaverse is a platform that allows users (teachers and students) to create and share virtual experiences easily. Metaverse allows you to arrange components on a storyboard, add 2d and 3d images, and even animations. Of course, I had to challenge myself to create a Math game, especially since there seem to be so very few of them. I found this collection of Metaverse AR experiences, and Math has the least amount. It took me about 2 hours to create the experience, but it connects 3d animated characters to math website links and questions to check understanding. When students answer the questions correctly, they advance, but if answered incorrectly, they are sent back to the website to review. There are four different questions in total, but students can complete the task by answering the first 3 correctly. Check out the video below for a preview, created by my 6th grade son who had never experienced an AR task, and tried to answer Algebra 2 questions! His reflection of the activity is that there are some students who would love it, but he thought it was hard to read, so I should probably use shorter sentences and larger images of problems, or a pause feature.
Managing Equitable Access during a Pandemic
At Gainesville High School, the digital divide is in the form of accessible devices and internet access at home. Moreover, low-socioeconomic status proves to be a massive component to the digital divide. Unfortunately, it does not matter if students have devices at home, or connectivity, when they are pressured into assisting with supporting their families while at home. Many of our students have demanding jobs, including working in factory settings or babysitting siblings/relatives while others work. Many families share a house or rent a single room from relatives or friends; it is not uncommon for 3 or more families to share the same apartment or home. Because of this, the digital divide becomes more prevalent as inhibiting factors come to light. Our school is in city limits, so students have access to wifi hotspots or more affordable internet service, but that does not alleviate the socioeconomic status that contributes to the divide or lack of devices.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, our school launched a technology lending program to try to close this gap for our students. We are not a 1:1 school, and had limited hopes of becoming one in the next few years. Our ratio of Chromebooks to students is 1.3:1, which means that we could possibly provide devices to 76% of our students. At the onset of the Coronavirus, our technology team retrieved devices from departments, chrome carts, and classrooms, and updated them to be able to distribute to students for at-home learning. Our school also ordered 100 Kajeet Smartspots immediately and a second order later based on demand. The Kajeets were a necessity and provided students with internet access while at home (except between 11pm and 6am). The resources were prioritized to Seniors first and then to underclassmen. As far as I know, no student was denied access to technology if they needed it, but I also know that many students prioritized work over education and stopped participating in virtual learning entirely.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, our school launched a technology lending program to try to close this gap for our students. We are not a 1:1 school, and had limited hopes of becoming one in the next few years. Our ratio of Chromebooks to students is 1.3:1, which means that we could possibly provide devices to 76% of our students. At the onset of the Coronavirus, our technology team retrieved devices from departments, chrome carts, and classrooms, and updated them to be able to distribute to students for at-home learning. Our school also ordered 100 Kajeet Smartspots immediately and a second order later based on demand. The Kajeets were a necessity and provided students with internet access while at home (except between 11pm and 6am). The resources were prioritized to Seniors first and then to underclassmen. As far as I know, no student was denied access to technology if they needed it, but I also know that many students prioritized work over education and stopped participating in virtual learning entirely.