Google Incorporates Virtual Reality into Education

KYLE ANG
Staff Writer

On May 28, Google’s official blog first announced its aim to bring virtual field trips to schools. Google plans to incorporate virtual reality into education by using low-cost cardboard goggles compatible with a cellphone and a field trip simulation software called. Expedition, as reported by the New York Times.

“The students should be able to get the educational value of being [at the location] with little to no cost to the school for an actual field trip,” junior Andy Smith said.

On Sept. 28, the official Google blog declared that throughout the 2015-16 school year, “kits” with ASUS smartphones, tablets, routers, and Google cardboard viewers will be distributed to teachers in order to run a virtual field trip for their students. Google’s official blog states that they will be visiting thousands of schools in countries around the world: Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S., followed by more locations as the school year progresses. At each school, Google stated that they will bring in teams to show teachers how to use the Expedition software before class.

With Expedition, Google stated that students will be able to visit the bottom of the ocean, the Great Wall of China, the surface of Mars and countless other locations. As award-winning technology network The Verge stated, a pair of cardboard goggles with a basic smartphone slipped inside is all that is needed for students to teleport to any destination.

“I think using Google’s Expedition will be really help[ful], because using technology in class [will make more kids] interested in learning. I think it will help develop more creativity and imagination,” freshman Brandon Choi said.