Google Expeditions

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Google Expeditions
Basic data

developer Google LLC
Publishing year 2015 (release); 2017 (Expeditions AR)
operating system Android , iOS
category Education , virtual reality
German speaking Yes
https://edu.google.com/expeditions/

Google Expeditions (often just Expeditions ) is software from Google LLC , which aims to bring virtual reality to educational institutions. By means of an Android - or IOS - smartphones , the same app and a head-mounted displays such as Google Cardboard or Daydream View can take virtual school trips. Teachers interested in the program can register online. Participation in the training program is free. Well-known partners include the American Museum of Natural History , National Geographic , WWF and the National Museum of Korea .

Functionality and offer

Google Cardboard

With the app, virtual excursions to z. B. natural landscapes, sights, cultural institutions such as museums or historical, futuristic or distant landscapes such as trips to dinosaurs or to the moon undertake. The learners can look around and move around freely. The program includes Street View recordings and “AirPanos” (all-round views taken from the air).

Each school class kit originally contains 30 synchronized Google Cardboards with smartphones and a tablet for the teacher. Over 600 tours are currently available. With a finger tool, certain details can be marked in a scene and you can point out certain aspects to the students. The expedition leader uses smileys with the respective direction of view of the individual participants to see where they are looking. There are also recommendations for discussion questions and learning tasks. Virtual excursions can also be carried out alone without a teacher. In the context of school lessons one could e.g. B. Give up homework. Expedition kits can be purchased or put together yourself.

history

Already when the Google Cardboard was published in 2014, there was often talk of its commitment to the education sector. The project was presented for the first time at Google I / O 2015. It officially started in September 2015. Since May 2016, over a million schoolchildren have already taken part in a virtual tour with the expedition program. In July 2017, Google opened a training center for digital education in Munich. Expedition trainers should visit schools all over Germany and should bring a complete expedition kit with them. The Reading Foundation supports the use of Google Expetitions in schools and libraries. The managing director Sabine Uehlein sees the project not as a contradiction to the subject of reading, but as a bridge to the reading medium. Google also plans to add augmented reality to the program under the title Google Expeditions AR . Google's Tango is used here. The project is scheduled to start in autumn 2017.

reception

CNET describes Cardboard as the first virtual reality platform aimed at children. VRODO believes that immersive learning will take place in the future and that the content will be better remembered by being present at the event, as emotions are more strongly simulated and the events become clearer. The Tagesspiegel believes that this can give students a new perspective on things while studying. Chip Online considers school subjects such as geography , history and biology to be ideal for such a program and rates the apps as very good. However, the cost and the fact that not every student has a smartphone and that this cannot be assumed is also criticized. Sigrid Driver from the Reading Foundation says that the content must be exciting in order to arouse curiosity in the learner and to ensure that the learner deals with the topic further and to achieve a lasting learning effect.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Adi Robertson: Google has a new Cardboard headset, and it supports iPhones. In: The Verge . May 28, 2015, accessed July 28, 2017 .
  2. ↑ a b Google is pushing digital education in Germany with power - and is pushing into schools with virtual expeditions | News4teachers. In: news4teachers.de. Retrieved on July 28, 2017 (German).
  3. ↑ Google Expeditions | Partners. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  4. ↑ a b Christian Schwale: Is that the learning revolution: Google starts VR expeditions. In: Chip Online . June 28, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  5. ^ Nicole Lee: Google makes its case for VR by reinventing the field trip. In: engadget. April 6, 2015, accessed July 28, 2017 .
  6. ↑ Tomislav Bezmalinovic: Google Expeditions: Solo excursions are now possible. In: VRODO. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  7. ↑ a b Hendrik Lehmann: Google offers virtual expeditions for school classes. In: Tagesspiegel . February 22, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  8. ↑ Tomislav Bezmalinovic: Google Expeditions: Solo excursions are now possible. In: VRODO. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  9. ^ Mallory Locklear: Take a VR trip with Google Expeditions all by yourself. In: engadget. July 19, 2017, accessed July 28, 2017 .
  10. ↑ What is Google Expeditions? - Expeditions help. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  11. ↑ Darrell Etherington: Google Launches 'Expeditions,' An App For Shared Virtual School Field Trips | TechCrunch. In: techcrunch.com. May 28, 2015, accessed July 28, 2017 .
  12. ↑ Jordan Novet: Google is working with IMAX and Yi Technology to build Jump-ready VR camera rigs. In: VentureBeat. May 19, 2016, accessed July 28, 2017 .
  13. ↑ Matthias Bastian: Google Expeditions starts: Virtual excursions for school classes. In: VRODO. September 29, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  14. ↑ Google Expeditions AR. In: Google . Retrieved July 28, 2017 .
  15. ^ Scott Stein: Cardboard for kids: Google's bet on the future of VR is children. In: CNET . June 2, 2015, accessed July 28, 2017 .
  16. ↑ Florentine Anders: Digital Lessons in the Virtual World. In: berliner Morgenpost . March 7, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017 .