Virtual Reality is continuing to emerge and become more accessible as evidenced by apps on smartphones and 360 videos on YouTube. Samsung will release their consumer version of Gear VR, Oculus Rift is on the horizon, and Mattel's ViewMaster is now available for anybody interested in trying out virtual reality. If you don't want to spend too much money, affordable Cardboard kits are readily available on Amazon and eBay.
Hardware for VR can be easily obtained, but the portability still remains an issue as the user is required to have their phone and a separate accessory to view content. So how do you combine portability, ease of use, and VR? A new company Quantum Bakery may have come up with a solution. Their approach to VR was to create a phone case that doubles as the viewer, which they call the Figment VR. The kit is currently being financed through crowd funding via Kickstarter but could pave the way for new devices that combine practical use with portability.
Last week RUSD students had an amazing opportunity to pilot Google Expeditions. While the app won't be available until sometime next year, YouTube just released an update that allows virtual reality videos. VR videos give the viewer a sense of depth as they look around in every direction through stereopsis. If Expeditions made students excited with 360 photos, imagine the level of engagement that would arise with VR video.
The second update is where things get really interesting. Viewers now have the option to make any video in YouTube viewable through Google Cardboard (or any viewer). This means the entire existing library of content can be used as a virtual movie theater. Load up the video you want to view, select the "Cardboard" option, stick your phone in your Cardboard and press play!
The first words a student said as he strapped on his Google Cardboard and explored with Expeditions. Imagine how immersive the environment had to be for the student to process the visual image as a real life experience. So how does all this work? Expeditions allows teachers to use photospheres from Google Maps to take students on "field trips buses can't go." Hawthorne Elementary and RUSD welcomed the Google Edu team, participating as a part of their Expeditions Pioneer Program. The Pioneer Program is a pilot program from Google that is sending out classroom kits of Google Cardboard units and Nexus tablets with the Expeditions app. The app allows the teacher to direct students to specific locations to engage students with questions and opportunities for discussion. Students from Hawthorne visited The Great Barrier Reef, Rome, and Amazon jungles.
RUSD has more than one school participating in the Pioneer Program as Expeditions will be visiting Liberty Elementary on Thursday and Sierra Middle School on Friday. Check below for some pictures from the day.
In two states, there wasn't a single female student who took the AP test in computer science. In 47 other states where girls did sign up for the test, they made up less than a third of the test takers. In a time where girls earn 57% of bachelors degrees that are awarded, there is a severe gap in their representation in the field of computer science.
One of the greatest ways to get girls involved with technology is early exposure and opportunities to see positive role models in technology based professions. Popular culture and media already do a poor job of showcasing women in technology based roles in television and movies, so it is imperative that educators provide opportunities for their female students. Award winning documentary filmmaker Lesely Chilcott hoped to address this with her newest film "CODEGIRL."
Starting November 2nd to November 5th, your class can watch the documentary "CODEGIRL" for free via YouTube. The film tells the story of 5,000 girls from 60 different countries as they compete in a coding competition. The Technovation Challenge offers $10,000 in funding for the creators of an app that tries to solve a local problem in their community. In the film, you and your class will get a chance to see girls of all ages and ethnicities learning how to code, interacting with teachers, and collaborating to create something amazing.
The film also addressees RUSD's unique element of the Socially Engaged Contributor as it relates to Personalized Learning. The girls come from various parts of the world so the local problem varies widely depending on where they are from. However, their passion shines through as the film progresses.
Click on the video below to watch "CODEGIRL."
