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Kaitlin Gant

B.A. History & Spanish

University of Michigan

@kaitlingant17

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Meredith Nickerson

Instructional Technology Coach, Dexter Community Schools

Google for Education Certified Trainer

@mernickerson

www.facebook.com/nickersontechcoach

http://merstuesdaytechtips.blogspot.com

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Who is here?

K-6 Teacher
7-12 Teacher
Administrator
Tech Coach/Coordinator
Other

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Experience with VR in the classroom setting

I know very little
I’ve learned about it before
I’ve seen it in action
I’ve tried VR in my own classroom/practice
I could probably be leading this session

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What is something you hope to learn from this session?

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Document with resources and links can be found here:

https://goo.gl/FSg735

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What are Google Expeditions?

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Virtual reality teaching tool �
Immersive virtual trips all over the world.

Built for the classroom and small group use

Allows a teacher acting as a ‘guide’ to lead classroom-sized groups of ‘explorers’ through collections of 360° and 3D images�

-Google’s App Description

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Quick Video Overview (3:52):

http://tinyurl.com/4texpedition

When you are done with the video, please select the green check icon to indicate that you are ready to move on!

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As of May 2^nd, 2017, there are 625 Expeditions!

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Tip: It is MUCH easier to use the search function in the app than to wade through the Google Sheet with the list of Expeditions

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TYPES OF EXPEDITIONS

Historic Landmarks
International Monuments & Memorials
Parks and Preserves
Museum Tours
Natural Locations (ocean, volcanoes, etc)
Space
Human Body
Industry Tours
Job Shadowing
College Tours
Current Events & Issues
Cultural Sites

Use your pointer tool to mark theme type that you could use in your classroom or practice

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Where do you want to take your students?

Use your pointer tool to mark a dream destination on the map!

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What do I need to run an Expedition?

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iPHONE

ANDROID/iPAD TABLET

ANDROID

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A WORD OF WARNING!

Google announced on Thursday that they will be adding Augmented Reality to Expeditions

This will require AR-enabled phones, which are coming to market soon�
Consider holding off on buying smartphones until next year!

(go to http://dataliteracy.si.umich.edu/conference for the schedule, session title, etc.)

This slide is up while participants are entering the room.

Be sure to run the Audio Wizard to check your mic as soon as you enter the room. We do not recommend you use video for this webinar – our philosophy is to keep things as simple as possible.

Some moderators and presenters like to place their phone or a stereo speaker next to their mic to play background music (optional).

Please start the webinar ON TIME (do not wait for latecomers as we would with f2f PD).

Moderator starts recording.

MODERATOR: “Hello and welcome to this session. Todays’s session is called <title> and will be presented by <presenter name> of <institutional affiliation>. My name is <moderator name>, and I will be your moderator today. I’ll be monitoring the chat and keeping a list of questions that arise that I’ll share with the presenter during the Q&A time. [Note: some presenters prefer to answer questions as they arise – that’s also fine. Just work it out with your presenter in advance.]

ADVANCE SLIDE

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VR HEADSETS

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PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK

Shared WiFi Network

Stand-alone WiFi Router

Cell Phone Hotspot

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OTHER SUPPLIES

Storage/Transport

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OTHER SUPPLIES

Charging Stations

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OTHER SUPPLIES

Cleaning Supplies

Alcohol Wipes

Microfiber cloths

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SAFETY FIRST!

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Expeditions are designed for students ages 7 and up, per Google Expedition’s Terms of Service!

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Do not walk or run while participating in an Expedition. Stand still or sit in one place while using Google Expeditions.

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If you feel dizzy or your eyes are bothering you, remove the headset immediately and take a break.

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If you your stomach gets upset during an expedition, remove the headset immediately

and take a break.

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If you are prone to seizures or have any neurological disorders, check with a doctor before going on an Expedition.

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Do not use Google Expeditions for a long period of time. Take breaks and allow your eyes time to adjust after going on an expedition.

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Any questions about supplies or safety? Any surprises?

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PLANNING YOUR FIRST EXPEDITION

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Step One: Download the free app on your own device

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Step Two: Open the app and choose “lead”

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Step Three: Click on the search icon

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Step Four: Search for Expeditions that focus on your content/curriculum!

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LEADING AN EXPEDITION

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Are the devices charged?�
Have you downloaded the Expedition to the teacher phone/tablet?�
Have you sent home the opt-out form at least a few days in advance??

Before you start…

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Even our 2^nd graders are fully capable of turning on smartphones, opening the app, finding the Expedition, and loading them into headsets

Getting devices set up –

Let the kids help you!

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Tip: Start & pause the Expedition before you begin

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Have students open the app and click on the ”follow” button

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If devices are on the same peer-to-peer network, students should see your Expedition!

Current network (should be the same as teacher device)

Teacher’s Expedition (Don’t forget to start it first!)

Students should click “join”

This tour is annoying – students love to click on it….

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Intraocular distance (lens spacing)�
Focus adjustment for nearsighted students (our VR headsets accommodate glasses)�
Headband size�

Some students prefer to hold the headset to their face vs. using the straps. Use your best judgement based on your headset and kids!

Allow some time for VR headset adjustment!

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Start your Expedition!

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Teacher Content

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Points of Interest

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Points of Interest

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Points of Interest

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When you’re done….

Clean headsets with alcohol wipes�
Wipe headset lenses and phone screens with microfiber cloth�
Turn off phones and plug them in

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How are you feeling about running an Expedition?

I could totally do it�
I need some hands-on time with the technology, but I’m pretty sure I get it�
I need some more guidance or research before trying�
I’m still feeling clueless when it comes to this technology

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So how do I get a set?

Our kit was funded by a local Educational Foundation grant (link in overview document)�
Possible grants to pursue:�

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So how do I get a set?

Hunt around for deals! We did not use the “official” Google kit and saved a good deal of money�
The cell phones are the most cost-prohibitive aspect of the kit – before receiving a grant, we considered using older, donated smartphones�

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Questions?

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Document with resources and links can be found here:

https://goo.gl/FSg735

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nickersonm@dexterschools.org��@mernickerson��www.facebook.com/nickersontechcoach

Don’t hesitate to contact me with further questions!�