ALBERT EINSTEIN · his Cone of Experience, Edgar Dale theorised that we retain around 10% of what...

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A GUIDE TO VR & AR IN EDUCATION

“ T H E O N LY S O U R C E O F K N O W L E D G E I S E X P E R I E N C E ”

~ A L B E R T E I N S T E I N ~

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INTRODUCTION

In today’s digital world, finding new ways to

engage students is ever more difficult. When

home technologies such as mobile phones, tablets

and games consoles are highly advanced, widely

available and hugely popular with young children,

finding educational engagement with technology

in the classroom can be even harder, especially if

the technology deployed there is less engaging

than that of technology children use at home.

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality technology

has been available for several years, but it is

only recently, towards the end of 2016, that this

technology has developed to a level that will now

start to rapidly penetrate the consumer space.

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I N C R E A S I N G E N G A G E M E N T I N

T H E C L A S S R O O M

AR & VR Whitepaper: Introduction

One of the biggest issues teachers face is that of student engagement. Could schools look to this new technology to re-ignite past times where classrooms were places students could discover and experience new technologies for the first time? Think back to the 80s, when early PCs were being deployed in schools. Students could, for the first time, access innovative, cutting edge technology in a classroom, long before it became available and affordable in the consumer space. Children could engage in innovative ways, and with just a screen and keyboard they could create simple graphics and learn the fundamentals of early computing and coding, on devices and technology they didn’t have at home.

This was a time of great excitement and engagement for many students. Computer clubs were formed to allow them to access the technology during lunchtimes and after school, facilitating extracurricular activities and driving the desire to learn with this fascinating new technology. Switch back to today. Does this still apply? Do we have the same level of engagement from classroom technology? Or does the student’s smartphone provide more engagement and interest than anything else in the classroom? Can anything change that, or is cutting edge technology and engagement no longer possible in schools?

Einstein wisely stated, ‘The only source of knowledge is experience’. So how do we deliver new experiences to students within the limitations of the classroom? What technology can provide a range of immersive and engaging experiences they couldn’t normally have at school?

ONE OF THE BIGGEST

ISSUES TEACHERS

FACE IS THAT OF STUDENT

ENGAGEMENT

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AR & VR Whitepaper: Introduction

H I S T O R I C T E C H N O L O G Y A D O P T I O N

C U R V E I N S C H O O L S

V I R T U A L A N D A U G M E N T E D R E A L I T Y –

T H E 4 T H W A V E

Staying ahead of the curve in schools seems almost impossible these days, with consumer adoption of technology driving down prices and commoditising the latest innovations, making them readily available for the home user. Most new emerging technologies are quickly adapted for the home consumer. In fact, these days it is rare to see technology deployed in schools that students haven’t already seen, or already own, themselves. It’s no wonder that classroom technology often now falls short of student’s expectations; they’ve ‘been there, done that’. So all that budget you’ve just spent on more tablets, laptops, or an interactive whiteboard won’t drive the engagement or excitement we need to stimulate their imagination and drive their creativity. Our students have become accustomed to this technology, and somewhat dismissive of it. Is it time to usher in a new wave of technological excitement?

Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality have been referred to as the ‘4th wave’ of technological innovation and change in the world of computing. The first three, namely PCs, the Internet, and mobile, have seen monumental shifts in the way that we interact, engage and communicate, with fundamental and life changing effects for us all. Think back to the end of the 20th century. We were not checking our friend’s status every few minutes, sending instant pictures and videos to our family, or checking our bank balances on our phones. These are now every day (every minute?) activities, and a natural and somewhat expected pattern of behaviour in modern society. What impact then will this 4th wave have on society in 10 or 20 years, and how will that affect the development of our children now? Where does learning with this new technology fit?

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VIRTUAL REALITY

Virtual Reality, by its pure definition, can deliver

experiences and interactions for students that

are either not practical or not possible in the

‘real world’, provides an unparalleled way to

immerse and captivate students of all ages.

Virtual Reality helps students feel immersed in

an experience, gripping their imagination and

stimulating thought in ways not possible with

traditional books, pictures or videos, and facilitates

a far higher level of knowledge retention.

Enhancing and extending the learning

experience is at the heart of what Virtual

Reality can offer students, and is possibly one

of the most powerful of all technologies that

could help change how we learn forever.

WHAT CAN IT OFFER EDUCATION?

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AR & VR Whitepaper: Virtual Reality – What can it Offer Education?

I M M E R S I V E , E N G A G I N G E X P E R I E N C E S

I N C R E A S E D K N O W L E D G E R E T E N T I O N

With Virtual Reality students can visit places not practical, or even possible in real life, all from the safety of the classroom. Imagine exploring the inside of a blood vessel, the structure of an atom, the depths of the ocean, or the surface of the moon. With Virtual Reality, places can be explored as if you were actually there, and students can experience and interact with creatures they will likely never see in their lifetimes.

With Virtual Reality, we can put children in simulated dangerous and compromising situations, in places they should never have to experience in the real world, and from this they can learn empathy, safety and emotion, and gain an understanding that is simply unobtainable from traditional media. Imagine the immersion, understanding and emotional experience a student could gain from standing in the trenches during World War 1?

Virtual Reality provides one of the most important aspects of learning that no other technology can match, that of experience. In his Cone of Experience, Edgar Dale theorised that we retain around 10% of what we read, yet 90% of what we experience ourselves. Virtual Reality facilitates knowledge retention at the highest possible level, through immersive and engaging personal experience. Bringing personal experience into the classroom, and engaging children in new activities not normally possible, holds the potential to truly transform knowledge retention.

WE RETAIN

AROUND 10%

OF WHAT WE

READ, YET 90%

OF WHAT WE

EXPERIENCE

OURSELVES

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AR & VR Whitepaper: Virtual Reality – What can it Offer Education?

Virtual Reality has the potential to be a ground-breaking technology for the education of our children, but there are many barriers to classroom use. So how can we bring this incredible new technology to the classroom, and what things must we consider?

“ V R O F F E R S A U N I Q U E , M U LT I - S E N S O R Y A N D F U L LY I M M E R S I V E L E A R N I N G E X P E R I E N C E F O R C H I L D R E N

T H R O U G H O U T A L L K E Y S T A G E S . B Y P R O V I D I N G C H I L D R E N W I T H T H E E X P E R I E N C E O F V R , T H E Y A R E A B L E T O A C C E S S E N H A N C E D A N D S E N S O R Y - B A S E D E X P E R I E N T I A L L E A R N I N G . T H I S C A N B E U S E D A S A

T R U LY O R I G I N A L H O O K F O R B O T H G R E AT E R D E P T H W R I T I N G , A S W E L L A S S U P P O R T I N G C H I L D R E N W H O H A V E A D D I T I O N A L N E E D S . T H E P O T E N T I A L S U B J E C T

A N D T O P I C L I N K S F O R T H I S L E A R N I N G R E S O U R C E A R E C O N S I D E R A B L E .”

~ M R A N D R E W S H E LT O N ~

Y E A R 6 / P PA T E A C H E R – H I L LV I E W S C H O O L

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DOES VR HAVE A PLACE IN THE CLASSROOM?

Virtual and Augmented Reality clearly offer

unique and unparalleled ways to engage and

stimulate students. However, before there is any

consideration of what technology to use, or how

to use it, there needs to be a clear and fundamental

understanding of exactly what the needs are.

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AR & VR Whitepaper: Does VR have a Place in the Classroom?

K E Y C O N S I D E R AT I O N S

H O W W I L L T H I S T E C H N O L O G Y H E L P E N H A N C E L E A R N I N G ?

Before adopting a brand new technology like Virtual Reality into the classroom, a number of key questions need to be considered:

• Why do we need Virtual Reality? • What purpose and function will it fulfil? • How will the technology be

used and managed? • How will these devices fit into our existing

ICT resources and at what cost?• How will we train our teachers to use VR?

Considering these questions and more, and fully understanding how Virtual Reality could be used in an educational institution, is essential. Some of the most important considerations are detailed below.

L E A R N I N G S H O U L D N E V E R B E L E D B Y T E C H N O LO G Y. T E A C H E R S T E A C H , T E C H N O LO G Y A S S I S T S .

This is an important statement, and one that is often forgotten. Focus should be placed on how the technology can be used to aid learning. There are clear educational benefits to be drawn from the use of Virtual Reality, as previously discussed, including better engagement, increased stimulation, decreased ‘time to learn’ and enhanced knowledge retention.

Additionally, at the time of writing, Virtual Reality offers the chance for many students to experience this technology for the first time at school, bringing back the focus of the classroom as a place of excitement and learning experiences.

VIRTUAL REALITY OFFERS

THE CHANCE FOR MANY

STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE THIS

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FIRST

TIME AT SCHOOL

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It also offers a change to the traditional use of ICT such as fixed computers or laptops, allowing for additional usage scenarios and inclusion in learning activities not previously associated with ICT.


H O W W I L L I T B E U S E D F O R T E A C H I N G ?

H O W W I L L I T S U P P O R T C U R R I C U L U M B A S E D L E A R N I N G ?

Virtual Reality provides a unique opportunity to create a truly exciting and engaging learning experience. They can be used in a cross curricular way, supporting engagement across all subject areas, from improving creative writing to understanding science and maths topics through enhanced visualisation and immersion. However it is important to fully understand how Virtual Reality can be used to support curriculum teaching and classroom use in your school.

At the time of writing, most Virtual Reality headsets and systems have been designed specifically for the gaming industry. So how does this technology facilitate curriculum based learning? Do these systems provide educational content and if so how does that support our traditional teaching methods? Where would we find educational, curriculum aligned content that can be integrated to our lessons and does it meet my teaching needs? Can we create and add our own content to support our own teaching methods and practises?

If there is going to be an investment in Virtual Reality technology, there should be careful consideration to what applications and content can be used with them.

MOST VIRTUAL

REALITY

HEADSETS AND

SYSTEMS HAVE

BEEN DESIGNED

SPECIFICALLY FOR

THE GAMING

INDUSTRY

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Are there solutions that provide bespoke educational content, or can these devices be used in a more creative way, to enhance our existing teaching methodology and resources?


H O W W I L L I T B E U S E D F O R T E A C H I N G ?

Careful consideration needs to be given to how these devices will be used, and managed, in the classroom. Virtual Reality does present one major challenge within the classroom: the total immersion the device provides limits the teachers ability to interact with the students. Imagine a classroom with thirty children, all immersed in Virtual Reality with their eyes and ears covered. How will the teacher communicate and control the class? How can you capture individual students’ attention?

Another important consideration is that of shared resource usage. Do these devices lend themselves to sharing between classrooms and students? Can a school maximise its investment in this technology by ensuring the devices are used by as many students as possible? What implications are there for sharing and using devices across the whole school?

With a new physical way to use technology (a headset), what further implications are there for use in the classroom? Understanding the use cases will help define how to manage and control the devices and deliver the resources effectively in the school.

SUPPORTING

ENGAGEMENT

ACROSS ALL

SUBJECT AREAS,

FROM IMPROVING

CREATIVE

WRITING TO

UNDERSTANDING

SCIENCE AND

MATHS TOPICS

THROUGH

ENHANCED

VISUALISATION AND

IMMERSION

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H O W W I L L T H E Y I N T E G R AT E W I T H O U R C U R R E N T I C T R E S O U R C E S ?

Virtual Reality headsets may have a different operating system to solutions currently in place in schools. This leads to many important questions such as:

• Will they connect with our current network infrastructure?

• Will they work with our other Information Technology devices?

• How will we control usage?

• Are there any specific additional requirements we will need to implement?

Fully understanding how this new technology will fit with existing infrastructure and resources is a key consideration. A school will have made significant investment over the years on ICT provisions and eLearning resources, so ensuring a device’s compatibility with these is critical.

Understanding any device limitations, such as connectivity, content, accessibility or security is vital. Deploying Virtual Reality, just as computers and laptops, requires a system to manage, maintain and control them. Without such a solution, Virtual Reality could create an even bigger burden on ICT management in schools than existing resources.

DEPLOYING

VIRTUAL

REALITY, JUST

AS COMPUTERS

AND LAPTOPS,

REQUIRES A

SYSTEM TO

MANAGE,

MAINTAIN &

CONTROL THEM


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Ultimately, any investment in teaching resources should yield improved outcomes for students. So, what outcomes can be improved through an investment in Virtual Reality?

It’s clear to see that investments made in resources for specific equipment, such as science materials, can impact outcomes by subjects or topics, so should VR be used to increase outcomes in focused areas or subject? Should we look to increase student attainment in STEM using innovative VR applications for that? Or can the use of VR in a more generic way yield improved outcomes for students across all topics? Where should this investment best be focused?

We have yet to see definitive research papers or studies detailing the benefits and results of long term use of VR in education, but ask anyone who has seen a child put on a VR headset and watched their reaction, and the engagement benefits are unmistakeable. So, can we simply use Virtual Reality to stimulate imaginations and engagement? Can that alone yield outcome improvements for every child? If Virtual Reality can improve knowledge retention and increase engagement, by supporting our existing teaching methods, is that not a goal itself?


W I L L W E S E E I M P R O V E D O U T C O M E S ?

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W H AT C O N C E R N S A R E T H E R E W I T H U S I N G

V I R T U A L R E A L I T Y ?

Virtual Reality opens up a wide range of concerns and fears, from health and safety, to emotional well-being.

There are many important factors to consider, such as the long term effect on children’s vision, the transfer and spread of diseases from the shared use of headsets or the emotional development of children using immersive and sensory manipulation.

Careful consideration should be given to these issues, and strategies to address them, before any equipment is purchased and used.


W H AT I S T H E T O TA L C O S T O F O W N E R S H I P ?

The question of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is often ignored. Virtual Reality systems can be expensive items themselves, but what about the cost of managing and maintaining them? What happens when these devices break or are damaged? As Virtual Reality is a new technology, how quickly will hardware and software improve and change? What support will there be in a year’s time for the technology available now? With some devices, only proprietary content can be used, so what is the overall cost of adding new activities and resources? Are there ongoing costs to manage and maintain the systems, and if so will that be affordable in years to come?

There are many considerations that will impact the overall cost of the solution and these questions should be thought through thoroughly before any investment is made.

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IMPLEMENTING VR IN THE CLASSROOM

Considering all the positive factors Virtual and Augmented

Reality can bring to education, and understanding the

needs and desires to integrate VR within our school, we

must now understand how we would implement this

ground-breaking technology within our classrooms

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How would we go about a project like this? Some key considerations you should have in mind are:

Ensuring that there is a clear plan to research, procure, install, use and measure the results of your project will ensure its success.

Many innovative technology projects have failed due to poor planning, implementation or lack of training and support. Virtual Reality is no different, and careful planning, understanding and implementation are required to ensure students ultimately benefit from the investment in the technology.

K I C K S TA R T I N G A V R I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P R O J E C T I N Y O U R E S TA B L I S H M E N T

CAREFUL PLANNING, UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTATION ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE STUDENTS ULTIMATELY BENEFIT FROM THE INVESTMENT IN THE TECHNOLOGY

AR & VR Whitepaper: Implementing VR in the Classroom

• HOW DO WE FIND THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT?

• HOW WILL WE INSTALL AND MANAGE IT?

• HOW DO WE INTEGRATE IT INTO OUR LESSONS AND CURRICULUM?

• WHAT TRAINING IS REQUIRED FOR OUR TEACHERS TO USE IT EFFECTIVELY?

• WHAT ONGOING SUPPORT AND TRAINING IS AVAILABLE?

• HOW CAN WE MEASURE THE SUCCESS AND OUTCOMES FROM USING IT?

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D O Y O U R R E S E A R C H


As with any technology purchase, understanding what options are available in the market, what each system can do, their advantages, limitations and their costs, are the key aspects to helping guide you towards the most effective solution to implement. Below is a summary of the main, commercially available VR systems at the time of writing:

O C U L U S R I F T

H T C V I V E

The Oculus Rift was one of the very first commercially available VR headsets. Now owned by Facebook, Oculus is an integrated headset that requires a tethered connection to an external PC. Oculus is primarily a gaming device and as such has limited educational content.

Backed by mobile phone maker HTC, Vive is an integrated VR headset driven by a Windows PC or Mac. Vive predominantly targets the gaming market, but has recently started targeting education with the Vive Group Edition bundle of headsets and PCs.

ADVANTAGES LIMITATIONS

High Performance Device PC Required to Operate

Headset Positional Tracking Primarily a Gaming Device

Immersive Experience Expensive

No Curriculum Content

No Classroom Controls


Top Quality Experience High Price

Active Developer Community Limited Educational Content

Wide Range of Hardware Peripherals Requires High-end PC

Complex Setup & Management

External Sensors Needed

No Classroom Management

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High Availability Requires Mobile Device

Tether-free Operation High Cost

Overheating Devices Cause Lesson Disruption


S O N Y P L AY S TAT I O N V R

S A M S U N G G E A R V R

G O O G L E E X P E D I T I O N S

A dedicated headset for Sony’s PlayStation video games console. The PSVR headset provides a simple way for home users to experience high quality VR gaming.

In collaboration with Oculus, Samsung GearVR combines a Samsung mobile phone with an active headset to deliver a high-quality VR experience. Access to Google Expeditions and some educational apps make it suitable for the classroom.

The Google Cardboard initiative uses mobile phones in special visors to provide an entry-level VR experience. Google are encouraging the use of Cardboard devices in schools through their Expeditions app, which provides panoramic pictures to support educational themes.


Lower cost Relative to PC-Based Headsets

No Educational Content

Simple Setup & Configuration Tethered by Wire to a Required PlayStation Console

High Quality Games Available Requires Monitor or TV for Setup

Closed Ecosystem & Content



Low Equipment Cost Requires Mobile Device

Tether-free Operation Physical Setup Takes Time

Centralised Content Delivery for Expeditions

Overheating Devices Cause Lesson Disruption

No Device Management


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A V A N T I S C L A S S V R

ClassVR is the first fully dedicated end to end classroom VR & AR system. It comprises a standalone headset, a storage and charging unit, pre-installed 360 degree images and videos, a classroom management and control portal and the ability for schools to upload their own content.


Low Cost Standalone System No Positional Tracking

Classroom Device & Content Management

Curriculum Aligned Resources

Ability to Create Own Content

Supports VR & AR


D E P L O Y I N G A N D M A N A G I N G V R I N T H E C L A S S R O O MTypically, Virtual Reality systems have been designed for individual use, rather than in a shared or group environment. Obviously, the sheer nature of covering your eyes with a headset has massive implications for a classroom of children. So how would we set about deploying and managing 30 headsets to children in a classroom?

Understanding what classroom controls a system has, and how they are used in practice, is probably one of the most fundamental questions you should ask. If there is no centralised system for controlling and monitoring the devices, how will you successfully deliver a lesson?

Previously with deployments of computers, laptops or tablets, a ‘Management System’ of some description was typically implemented, to help control the devices and provision content or apps on them. There were also teacher based controls, to pause the devices, view or monitor student’s screens, and to capture and send data or classwork back and forth. These management systems also facilitated security, such as lock down controls, asset tracking and device protection.

UNDERSTANDING

WHAT

CLASSROOM

CONTROLS A

SYSTEM HAS,

AND HOW THEY

ARE USED IN

PRACTICE, IS

PROBABLY ONE

OF THE MOST

FUNDAMENTAL

QUESTIONS YOU

SHOULD ASK.

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Does this still apply to VR headsets? How do we control what content is displayed, or what content students can access from them, and how they would do that?

A significant part of your research should be to understand what controls the teacher will have in the classroom, and how they would use them to effectively deliver and manage a lesson using VR or AR technology.


C O N N E C T I N G T O Y O U R S C H O O L R E S O U R C E S

As VR is a relatively new technology, with different devices providing multiple ways to deliver content (via connected PCs, proprietary game platforms, mobile phones or standalone units), understanding how these will connect to your existing network, what ICT requirements they have, how much internet connectivity they need or how much bandwidth they use, are also important factors.

Take for example the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Both headsets require a dedicated PC. Is it practical (or affordable?) to also have 30 PCs to run these headsets? Is that feasible in today’s classroom setting? Or does this require a roll-back to the days of a dedicated computer suite?

On the other hand, the likes of Samsung Gear VR and Google Expeditions require a mobile phone. It would be much easier to store and share 30 mobile phones and plastic headsets. However, what place do mobile phones have in the classroom, and how will they be managed and controlled? Is it practical for students to be putting expensive devices like this into the headsets? How likely are they to get damaged?

WHAT PLACE

DO MOBILE

PHONES

HAVE IN THE

CLASSROOM,

& HOW WILL

THEY BE

MANAGED AND

CONTROLLED?

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A new category of emerging devices, known as ‘standalone’, are now available. These are a hybrid solution, with fully integrated electronics, CPUs, Wi-Fi display screens and batteries, allowing the device to work as a complete system itself. There is no requirement to add a mobile phone, and no need for a connected PC. Systems like ClassVR provide a standalone headset, at an affordable price, and are an ideal solution to classroom portability and use by students.

With very different technology requirements, the selection of a VR system should be carefully considered. Decide how they are going to be used, in what setting and location, by students of what age, and for how long. Again, having clarity on the use will enable you to select the best system for your needs.

D E L I V E R I N G E N G A G I N G

L E S S O N S A C R O S S T H E

C U R R I C U L U M

SYSTEMS LIKE

CLASSVR PROVIDE

A STANDALONE

HEADSET, AT AN

AFFORDABLE

PRICE, AND ARE AN

IDEAL SOLUTION

TO CLASSROOM

PORTABILITY AND

USE BY STUDENTS.


Devices and management systems are only a part of the equation. What will likely lead most of the decision is how they will be used to learn, and how they will fit into curriculum lessons. The initial thoughts here often go to ‘What content do you have available, and how does that fit with my curriculum?’. While that would typically be a great question to ask, with Virtual Reality it may not be the best one…

We have already seen that the fundamental educational benefit for the use of VR comes in the form of immersion and engagement, from which students derive a better understanding and greater knowledge retention.

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So a good question to ask for VR might be ‘How can I use VR in my lessons to increase engagement and improve student outcomes?’

Virtual Reality allows us to provide unique experiences for students, such as environments, locations or objects in ways that they may never experience in life. So should the focus of the use of VR be more around applying these engaging experiences to help drive increases in fundamental skills such as literacy? Take the following excerpt from a real world case study on 10-11 year old students…

“ F r o m t h e v e r y f i r s t l e s s o n , w e f o u n d t h a t i t r e a l l y h e l p e d

t h e c h i l d r e n w i t h u s i n g d e s c r i p t i v e a n d e m o t i v e l a n g u a g e

– t h e y f o u n d i t m u c h e a s i e r t o u s e a d i v e r s e r a n g e o f

a d v e n t u r o u s v o c a b u l a r y w h e n s e t t i n g a s c e n e i n t h e i r

s t o r i e s , o n c e t h e y c a n u n d e r s t a n d w h a t a p a r t i c u l a r p l a c e

a c t u a l l y f e e l s l i k e t o t h e m .

T h e s h o r t d e s c r i p t i v e t e x t e x e r c i s e i n i t i a l l y u s e s w o r d b a n k s

a n d a s h a r k p h o t o g r a p h a s a s t i m u l u s . W h i l s t t h e c h i l d

s e l e c t s v o c a b u l a r y i n k e e p i n g w i t h t h e i r e x p e c t e d a g e ,

t h e y a r e n o t w r i t i n g e m o t i v e l y . T h e y c a n n o t r e l a t e t o t h e

s i t u a t i o n a s t h e y ’ v e n e v e r e x p e r i e n c e d i t f i r s t - h a n d .

I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r u s i n g t h e V i r t u a l R e a l i t y h e a d s e t s , w e s e e

a n i m p a c t i n t h e c h i l d ’ s w r i t i n g . T h e y n o w ‘ s w i m n e r v o u s l y ’

i n s t e a d o f ‘ h a p p i l y ’ a n d t h e e n t i r e e n c o u n t e r w i t h t h e s h a r k

i s f a r m o r e ‘ u p c l o s e a n d p e r s o n a l ’ d u e t o t h e i r f r e s h l y

g a i n e d e x p e r i e n c e .”


Barry Island Primary School, Vale of Glamorgan (Wales, UK)

E X C E R P T F R O M ‘ U S I N G V I R T U A L R E A L I T Y A S A

S T I M U L U S T O S T O R Y W R I T I N G I N P R I M A R Y S C H O O L’

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Although the Virtual Reality shark experience 360 degree video is not directly a ‘curriculum’ resource, it is clear that the experience the students have in Virtual Reality helps dramatically improve their creative writing and literacy skills. It is also an immediate improvement, with teachers seeing an instant impact on outcomes.

Now consider what a trip to Mars could yield for science or maths, or a trip to an ancient Egyptian tomb for history or geography, and we start to see how these experiences can be mapped to educational ideas and lesson plans, to support and extend learning aligned to any curriculum. For example, take the following excerpt from the United Kingdom’s Geography National Curriculum for Year 7 (age 11-12), focussing on biomes:


S T U D E N T S S H O U L D B E TA U G H T:

To extend their locational knowledge and deepen their spatial awareness of the world’s countries using maps of the world to focus on Africa, Russia, Asia (including China and India), and the Middle East, focusing on their environmental regions, including polar and hot deserts, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities

U S I N G V R A N D A R A N G E O F L O C AT I O N A L 3 6 0 I M A G E S S U C H A S T H E G O B I , S A H A R A , S C O T T S D A L E ,

U TA H O R M O R O C C O , L E S S O N I D E A S C O U L D I N C L U D E :

Discuss what students think of when they hear the word ‘desert’. Share ideas on what they are expecting to see during their trip to the ‘desert’.

While they experience these locations in VR, draw their attention to the differences and the plants. Ask questions such as – how do plants usually photosynthesise? How are some of these plants adapted to suit this climate? What are the key features of a desert?

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Building educational resources from 360 images and videos can provide an entire cross curricular resource bank to drive engagement across all subject areas. Aligning these experiences to areas of the curriculum and presenting lesson ideas on how they can be used to teach a subject is a great way to start with Virtual Reality in the classroom, and will provide impactful and instant improvements in students’ engagement.


F L E X I B I L I T Y W I T H S E L F C R E AT E D C O N T E N T

Inevitably with curriculum content it is always a challenge to create resources that cover an entire syllabus. We often hear the question ‘have you got anything for cell division?’ or ‘how can I teach photosynthesis with it?’. Teachers typically have their favourite websites or existing resources that cover specific areas of the curriculum, which they are familiar and comfortable with, so how could VR be used to enhance and contribute to these resources, rather than replace them?

Allowing teachers to be creative with VR resources holds the potential for a far better use of the technology, rather than prescriptive, inflexible content. Creating VR content is now possible, and quite easy, thus focusing on students creativity and self-created content can drive engagement and the thirst for knowledge even further.

Take for example a simple 360 degree camera. With this teachers and students can easily create images and videos for VR. Imagine a class field trip to a landmark, or museum. Now have those students capture 360 images of themselves stood at that landmark, or with a object of significance, then share their field trip and experience with their peers when they return to school by delivering it in Virtual Reality.

INTERACTION,

INCLUSION,

MOTIVATION AND

ENGAGEMENT

CAN BE DRIVEN

WITHOUT THE

NEED FOR

ANY SPECIFIC

CURRICULUM

CONTENT

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Now we can start to see how interaction, inclusion, motivation and engagement can be driven without the need for any specific curriculum content.

Taking this concept further, the creation of virtual worlds and resources can be achieved through innovative VR creation applications and websites. Student can use simple tools to build and create virtual worlds, then explore them through Virtual Reality headsets. Not only do students learn coding, they learn many science and maths topics, can better understand spatial awareness, learn construction and material properties, environmental considerations, and socio-economic awareness.

Looking beyond pre-configured curriculum resources, and understanding how to use this technology creatively, can unlock far more potential with students than traditional content. A good example of this is Minecraft, used to drive engagement and creativity with students, and the continued gamification of educational content to provide a more engaging and creative approach to learning.


P R O V I S I O N I N G T R A I N I N G A N D

P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

As with all educational technology, the correct provision of educational support resources, including training, development, technical and teacher support is a critical component to ensuring positive adoption, and the path to a successful implementation. Underestimating the requirements for training and support, however easy to use the technology is, will undoubtedly be the worst mistake you can make, even more so than the wrong choice in systems.

Implementing any new technology in the classroom means teachers and students need help and support to familiarise themselves with it, and to understand how best to utilise it during lessons. Initial training sessions are useful; however, often they fail to provide sufficient supporting material to allow continued self-help. Some initial sessions cover too much detail, trying to cram in as much as possible in a limited period, due to budget constraints or busy diaries.

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Focusing on a few of the key features of a product, and how to get ‘quick wins’ by using just some of these is often a good way to start.

Augmenting initial training with regular ‘top-up’ sessions will help to ensure teachers become more comfortable with the technology over time. Investment in continued CPD, and the provision of sufficient supporting resources, such as training videos and documents, will help boost the confidence levels of teachers and allow them to consider more advanced use of technology.

Work with your technology providers, and map out a training and implementation plan to help focus on delivering a simple yet effective launch of the project, with the aim of winning support from teachers and a positive impact in the classroom. Look at how well they support the technology; do they provide assistance by email and phone? How can they help you if you have questions or need guidance? How good are their supporting materials? All of these questions should be asked when selecting the technology to implement.

As teacher confidence grows, support them with ongoing training and look at more advanced features of the system or ways to further utilise the technology. Are there certified courses teachers can attend online? Can they earn credits through CPD? What additional training and support can be provided over time?


FOCUSING ON A FEW OF THE KEY FEATURES OF A PRODUCT, AND HOW TO GET ‘QUICK WINS’ BY USING JUST SOME OF THESE IS OFTEN A GOOD WAY TO START.

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K N O W I N G W H E N Y O U ’ V E S U C C E E D E D

Unless you can understand why you are implementing VR, what outcomes you expect, and how to measure them, then you might as well not bother. The single most important factor to consider is what is the primary educational benefit or outcome you expect. If you don’t know what you want to achieve, how can you know if you’ve achieved it?

This may sound simple, but many times projects and technology are implemented without this primary consideration, and thus we end up with ‘technology for technology’s sake’. Take that iPad that was issued to the teacher. What was the expected outcome based on spending that money? Easier access to network based resources? A simpler way to access email? A general research tool? Whatever the reason, did you measure the outcome? Did things improve? Was it worth the spend?

Knowing when you’ve succeeded requires clear goals, and a way to measure them. Defining and understanding these goals should allow simple analysis to establish success or failure, and will provide that all important Return On Investment.

Investing in educational technology means investing in student development. Measuring this can be difficult, but some clearly defined goals, even subtle ones such as better engagement in class or a noticeable change in motivation, can be highly valuable and ultimately will yield results for improved student outcomes over time.

If sufficient thought is given to a thorough and well planned training program, then adoption should be smooth and benefits will be seen. However, make sure you understand training is an ongoing requirement, not just during the implementation.

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SUMMARY

“ T H E O N LY S O U R C E O F K N O W L E D G E I S E X P E R I E N C E ”

~ A L B E R T E I N S T E I N ~

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AR & VR Whitepaper: Summary

Properly implemented, Virtual Reality can be an incredible learning tool to help guide students through complex topics, empathise and understand emotion, and give them a view of the amazing world in which we live, unlocking creativity and imagination that helps create a foundation for success.

VR truly is a ground-breaking technology, with so many ways to help augment traditional teaching methodologies and make a fundamental impact on how students learn and retain knowledge.

However, make no mistake, this technology is in its infancy, and it will grow and change rapidly. Understanding how Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality can fit into a traditional classroom environment should be of fundamental concern. A well conceived and properly executed plan, with the right technology, could deliver incredible results. A poorly thought through strategy and project implementation will almost certainly fail.

VIRTUAL REALITY PRESENTS AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASE KNOWLEDGE RETENTION FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

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KEEP IN MIND THESE IMPORTANT ASPECTS

AR & VR Whitepaper: Summary

UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WANT TO IMPLEMENT VR/AR IN YOUR SCHOOL

SET YOUR GOALS, DEFINE YOUR SUCCESS CRITERIA AND KNOW HOW TO MEASURE THEM

RESEARCH YOUR OPTIONS, LOOK AT THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TODAY AND SEEK ADVICE FROM YOUR TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIERS

PLAN YOUR IMPLEMENTATION AND UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE

CONSIDER HOW YOUR TEACHERS WILL MANAGE AND USE THE TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM

UNDERSTAND HOW YOU WILL USE VR TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR CURRICULUM TEACHING

RUN PILOT TRIALS TO TEST OUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND SEE WHAT FEEDBACK YOUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS PROVIDE

ENSURE YOU HAVE PROVISIONED SUFFICIENT TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT

REVIEW YOUR PROJECT WITH A VIEW TO UNDERSTANDING IF YOUR GOALS WERE MET

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C A S E S T U D Y | S T W I L F R I D S A C A D E M Y

Nathan Ashman

Serving the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen and parts of Pennine Lancashire, St Wilfrid’s Church of England Academy places a strong emphasis on engagement for all students. The staff are committed to embracing modern technology to maximise learning, making them an ideal Pioneer school for ClassVR.

Using ClassVR to Drive Progress at St Wilfrid’s

Nathan Ashman, St Wilfrid’s Lead Teacher for New Technologies, is always on the lookout for how modern technology can enhance and enrich students’ learning experience.

Ever since the emergence of Virtual Reality and accessibility of it through

smartphones, I’ve been eager to use it in a classroom situation. What ClassVR allows

us to do is take students into another environment anywhere in the world. What’s

great about it is that they can experience that environment in full 360, looking all

around them so that they can imagine themselves actually being there. This has a

huge impact on their retention of information and their learning experience because

they are having a real experience while they’ve got the headsets on.

I N D E P E N D E N T L E A R N I N G

Immersive learning is really moving forward in schools. The students aren’t just isolated in their own immersive world, they’re putting the headsets on then taking them off and talking to each other about their experiences naturally because they are keen to share this with people around them.

ClassVR provides a whole Virtual Reality solution which is both accessible and easy to use. It is also flexible in that, as a teacher, you can lead your students through a particular topic or you can allow students to navigate themselves, dipping in and out of experiences as they choose. It’s good to give the students a little bit of autonomy in what they do but at the same time as a teacher it’s nice to know that you still have that control.

T E A C H E R M A N A G E M E N T P O R TA L A N D A D D I N G

P E R S O N A L I S E D C O N T E N T

The portal is very easy to use; you can just drag and drop activities you want to use and there is an amazing amount of content on there to choose from. We want to make our curriculum specific to our students so being able to put our own content on there really makes it more purposeful and relevant.

We’ve been fortunate enough to get a 360 camera so taking images wherever we are is relatively straight forward. Once we have those images, we just upload them to the portal where they are ready to use. If, for example, we were to go to place of worship and take some images there we can then take that back to the classroom for students to see in all year groups rather than just those that went on the trip.

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Gwen Rees, Assistant Principal at St Wilfrid’s, was sceptical at first about using ClassVR with her students but now sees it as an invaluable resource in the classroom.

D R I V I N G P R O G R E S S

When Nathan came to me to ask about using ClassVR headsets with my students, my initial reaction was unease and worry. The idea of having these boys in a space with technology was quite daunting, I’m a bit of a technophobe myself and I was concerned about behavioural issues that could arise. It turned out that I didn’t need to worry. The boys were so engaged and excited about using this technology that there were no issues with behaviour.

From the second you open the box and show students the headsets, it creates an amazing buzz around the classroom; they’re excited to get involved. I’ve used ClassVR with my Year 8 boys, a lower-attaining Literacy group, when introducing them to war poetry. I knew that this was going to be a very daunting task; the vocabulary in the text was going to be extremely challenging for them.

When I placed those boys within the trenches in that Virtual Reality space, they were able to answer a lot of their questions themselves, they were making connections and they could really understand what it would be like to be in those trenches. Then, when I introduced the poetry, the students had a level of empathy and understanding that they wouldn’t have had without that experience. Their writing about those poems clearly demonstrated the progress that they’d made.

D E S I G N E D F O R T H E C L A S S R O O M

ClassVR is different because the package is complete, there’s no need for mobile phones which means that the students can pick it out the box and use it straight away

If you’re at all unsure about using this technology in the classroom my advice would be have a go yourself. Put on the headset and see how this would captivate your students.

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C A S E S T U D Y | B A R R Y I S L A N D P R I M A R Y

Dominic Broad

U S I N G V I R T U A L R E A L I T Y A S A S T I M U L U S T O S T O R Y W R I T I N G I N P R I M A R Y S C H O O L

My name is Dominic Broad and I’m a Year 6 teacher at Barry Island Primary School in South Wales. Our school has a strong history of using innovative teaching tools and methods to ensure we provide our children with the very best opportunities and experiences.

Over the past few months we’ve been experimenting with some new and creative methods to engage our children within the classroom. Through using our recently acquired ClassVR headsets, we’ve found a vast improvement not only in children’s engagement with learning, but in their motivation to both plan and write a story.

Children are quite often expected to compose adventurous tales or stories using a range of exciting vocabulary and descriptive words – but how can they realistically be expected to describe a scene if they’ve not experienced it? In the majority of cases, we rely on their imagination or photographs that the children may have seen from a film or book.

We decided to experiment with exposing the children to these various experiences, by using our Virtual Reality headsets as a stimulus to the writing. From the very first lesson, we found that it really helped the children with using descriptive and emotive language – they found it much easier to use a diverse range of adventurous vocabulary when setting a scene in their stories, once they can understand what a particular place actually feels like to them.

The short descriptive text exercise shown here initially uses word banks and a shark photograph as a stimulus. Although the work seen in the first photograph shows that the child selects vocabulary in keeping with their expected age, they are not writing emotively. They cannot relate to the situation as they’ve never experienced it first-hand.

U S I N G E M O T I V E L A N G U A G E A N D A D V E N T U R O U S V O C A B U L A R Y

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Immediately after using the Virtual Reality headsets, we see an impact in the child’s writing. They now ‘swim nervously’ instead of ‘happily’ and the entire encounter with the shark is far more ‘up close and personal’ due to their freshly gained experience.

Having been initially a little sceptical about the impact this may have on the students work, we soon realised that teaching the children to relate their writing to a scene, and providing stimulating experiences for this, is just as important as teaching the skills of storytelling and writing.

In summary, we’ve seen a big impact in the diversity and quality of written work when our students are using ClassVR to inspire their writing. We endeavour to provide learning experiences for our children, and are convinced that ClassVR is a fast and easy way to provide rich experiences to students of all ages.

The key to unlocking any child’s success during school can be measured in their engagement and enjoyment – the children of Barry Island Primary School certainly enjoyed this lesson!

I M P R O V E D E N G A G E M E N T A N D E N J O Y M E N T

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C A S E S T U D Y | C R O W L A N D S P R I M A R Y S C H O O L

Anthony Issac

Using ClassVR to Boost EngagmentCrowlands is a larger-than-average sized primary school which serves the London Borough of Havering. It became a ClassVR Pioneer school back in March and since then has invested in three more class sets to boost engagement across the school.

After their introduction to the technology, Anthony Isaac, Crowlands’ Computing Coordinator, was eager for more:

We gave the children an experience of swimming with sharks or diving underwater around Amedee Island as a stimulus for quick writing activities to see the impact it would have. The greater submersion in the experience allowed them to describe the settings in much greater detail as most would not have been to those environments before and therefore would not have that experience to draw from.

Students worked in pairs and were told to write down notes as they looked around their virtual setting. I encouraged them to jot down anything they could see, collecting adjectives they could use to describe the scene but also to be creative when using this to help imagine what their other senses would be able to detect. What might they be able to hear, smell, taste or touch if they were there? Finally, they were given just 20 minutes to describe a scene, imagining they were scuba diving.

The kids responded incredibly well to the technology, navigating the headsets with ease and, most importantly for this activity, were really excited to write after their experience.Even though they could just see the VR world, the submersion in the setting kick-started their creativity as they thought of other details using other senses. The total plunge into this new environment also gave them the ability to see small details and create better description and imagery. Their response was extremely enthusiastic, writing with an increased concentration because of how engaged they were in the stimulus.

I M P R O V I N G Q U A L I T Y O F W R I T I N G

F I R S T V I R T U A L T R I P

Before the first box of headsets was introduced, both staff and students were excited but unsure of what to expect. With just eight headsets for the class, there was plenty of sharing to be done. However, the children took this in their stride. It didn’t feel like just eight children were engaged in the session. They instantly started talking to each other about what they had seen to involve everyone at their table. Through language they were sharing their experiences, creating a fantastic buzz in the classroom.

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Since then, staff have been really excited about using ClassVR across the curriculum. I have seen VR and AR lessons across a number of year groups and subjects:

Year 6 have used augmented reality to get a closer look at dinosaurs for their science topic;

Year 3 have used VR to travel back in time for their history topics, getting a different experience of the Stone Age and Ancient Egypt;

Year 5 have used the headsets in science to gain a better understanding of our solar system, looking at how the moon rotates around the sun as well as a going on a trip to the Milky Way.

Not only does the technology immerse children in the topic, getting them to wonder, ask questions and become excited to learn more about it, from what we’ve seen at Crowlands, it manages to ignite a spark in those children who ordinarily wouldn’t get excited about that particular topic or subject.

The school has already seen a huge positive impact of ClassVR and staff are using it creatively in a variety of subjects to boost engagement, getting the children to drive the learning forward. It is exciting to think where this will take them next and I’m sure the children can’t wait to find out where their next virtual school trip will take place.

As the beautiful coral lay peacefully on top of

the sandy floor, colourful fish circled me like

hurricane. Waves were created; they swept

me off of the blanket and I felt like I was

flying. Zebras were floating, or so I thought,

with black and white stripes stretched

across the skin of the locals. I was extremely

tempted to clutch onto one of the playful

dolphins’ fins and swim away into heaven;

they kept on bouncing off of the Caribbean

Island’s stunning topaz water like a pogo stick.

Suddenly, all happiness was blocked as

a shark – with a toothy sneer- rapidly

appeared from a dull cave on the seas

bottom. Magically, no fish were in sight; the

dolphins had gone; not even the seaweed

weed could be seen…the reef shark had

scared EVERYONE.

As we manoeuvred through the blue oceans, I took a moment to take time to take in the amazing views! “One. Two. Three,” I was in! As I waved goodbye to our tour leader, Rico, I plunged in. I was speechless (mainly due to the fact that I had a breathing mask on my face).

My eyes searched the tropical ocean and they got caught on a large fish, which was as stripy as a zebra. Mini clown-fish were swimming as fast as Ferraris as they were chased by their predators. Whals were humming small melodies as I stroked a dolphin. Much to my surprise, it softly swam with me holding on to it and I had a chance to see the brilliant view.

Yet again, my eyes were mesmerised by the tropical neon coral, swishing along with the current. I got out my Go-Pro and began to film my beautiful surroundings. A large multi-coloured fish approached me so a touched its rainbow scales. It was truly magical and I felt privileged to be there.

E M B E D D I N G A C R O S S T H E C U R R I C U L U M

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During our topic on WWI, year 5/6 pupils used the VR headsets to experience life in the trenches. Pupils had previously researched WWI and trench life using books and the internet but the prospect of using Virtual Reality really excited them. Right from the start pupils were engaged, focused and eager to ‘experience’ the trench.

The children were given one headset between two. The idea behind this was encourage the partner without the headset to ask questions about the experience, such as ‘What can you see?’, ‘What can you hear?’, ‘What colours are there?’. This child would be curious because they could not see what their partner was experiencing and would need to build an image in their mind purely from their partner’s description. With added prompting, the child with the headset on was also encouraged to think more deeply about the experience by being asked ‘How would you feel?’ ‘What would you be thinking about?’ Whilst one partner experienced the trench, their talk partner scribed ideas and vocabulary, and then roles were swapped. This enabled the children to create a bank of rich vocabulary, focusing on sights and sounds of the trench and considering soldiers’ thoughts and feelings.

As class teacher, I was able to guide the children to different sights and ask them to focus on different sounds. It was far easier

My name is Anna Alford and I am a teacher at Penybont Primary. Over the last 12 years I have taught in all year groups, but I am currently in Year 5/6. At Penybont, we’re proud to be a ClassVR Pioneer School and in the short time we’ve had the Virtual Reality headsets, they’ve had a big impact on learning.

The headsets came with some pre-loaded experiences and teaching ideas that were a great jumping-off point for us to start planning our own ideas, linked to the curriculum we’re already teaching in school.

THE IMPACT OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON CREATIVE WRITING AT PENYBONT PRIMARY SCHOOL

C A S E S T U D Y | P E N Y B O N T P R I M A R Y S C H O O L

Anna Alford

I N T H E T R E N C H E S ( W W 1 )

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for children to describe these real sights and sounds and having their partner there to record their responses, children were encouraged to use figurative language to help create an image in their partner’s mind. As various points, we stopped and discussed ideas and thoughts. The vocabulary the children generated was absolutely incredible- including superb examples of similes and metaphors- and they could really get a feel of what the trench life was like. Using the VR headsets meant they were able to better empathise with soldiers and this was reflected in the standard of their final letters home from the trench. The children all loved the task and agreed that actually experiencing the trench really helped them to visualise and imagine life in those conditions.

For this piece of work we used a CGI Virtual Reality image of a rover on the surface of the moon. Now that the children are more familiar with using the headsets, they slipped instantly into their roles as talk partners (these are mixed-ability partnerships, so each student’s strengths and weaknesses were complemented). One partner wore the headset and described everything they could see on the moon’s surface, while the other partner acted as a scribe. This approach is particularly helpful for those students who find writing difficult – they could practise their verbal skills and really get creative with vocabulary, while their partner listened and noted down key words and ideas. Difficulty in recording ideas can really put some children off writing, creating a huge barrier to learning. The combination of an exciting stimulus, which they instinctively want to talk about great detail, and a partner to write down ideas is extremely powerful and managed to engage even our most reluctant writers.

Later on, these notes were invaluable when it came time for the writing session. Students wrote poetry from the perspective of an astronaut on the moon. Their Virtual Reality experience had given them all sorts of details about textures and colours which emerged in their writing; it allowed them to consider what objects or senses reminded them of. The ability to use their beautiful words and ideas, in combination with visualising that striking experience they’d had earlier, had a noticeable impact on the quality of writing.

M O O N L A N D I N G

Suddenly, a rapid wave of cold, icy air rushed over me, as my space shuttle landed onto the powdery surface of the moon, creating a floating cloud of grey dust. Excitedly, I leapt out, amazed at the weightlessness feeling. The jagged ground crumbled beneath my feet. My dark shadow slithered silently behind my light, crunching footsteps. Not even the slightest form of life could be found on this bare and deserted landscape. As I curiously gazed around me, the moon was as blank as a plain sheet of paper. Bumpy, towering cliffs cast creepy shadows- pitch black like dark lumps of coal.

WE RETAIN AROUND 10% OF WHAT WE READ, YET 90% OF WHAT WE EXPERIENCE OURSELVES”

To learn more about how VR & AR can increase engagement and improve outcomes for your students, get in touch with us today to arrange a free consultation with our education specialists.

[email protected]

0845 862 0390© Avantis sytems Ltd

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