The release of Google virtual reality packages for schools shows the major importance of the training and learning segment. This niche is represented by young Americans who present interest for the major technology organizations and the increasing competition between them. Almost 10 years ago, Google presented Applications for Education, a set of cloud-based software, schedule and data-sharing items available for free in many educational institutions.
Now, millions of teachers and students all over the globe use these apps. Google’s rival, Microsoft, has developed its significant segment of school services for e-mail, browsing, schedule, communication and other programs. These weeks, the company presented several new packages for educational purposes, along with its note-taking application, called OneNote Notebook.
The arrival of Google Expeditions is a sign of radical strategic moves in an ever-growing industry. Some top technological organizations have recently decided to focus on developing items specifically for education purposes. This is a more advantageous option than changing their current customers or business orientation and then advertising them to high schools or universities.
In 2014, Google presented Classroom, a free application that instructors can use to make, gather and review their students’ projects. These days, Facebook stated that its technicians were collaborating with educational institutions in America to personalize its learning software according to the children’s specific needs.
In the same way, Google’s technicians worked with a number of teachers in order to make virtual-reality courses based on particular classes. There are no precedents for implementing these technological ideas in schools and their course curriculum. This is why companies truly believe that they are creating a new pattern in education. The possibilities offered by this new and innovative approach could be endless in its long term prospective.
The concept of virtual reality visits is not a new one in software development. Some tutors have used Skype video conferences to take their learners on trips in important locations or to encourage outside professionals to join their classes.
Google’s virtual reality visit program is a lot more immersive than regular VR activities. It contributes to the range of Google resources that make remote locations reachable for young students and seen through its lens.
So far, together with instructors, Google has created about 100 virtual trips, such as exclusive expeditions to Independence Hall, the Great Wall of China or El Capitan, a stone formation discovered in Yosemite Park. All these trips have been arranged according to mathematics, technology, social studies, languages and other courses.
Google Expeditions has full 360-degree perspectives that combine pictures from Google Maps and Street View tools. The organization is also applying a 16-camera multi device, designed by GoPro, to make three-dimensional pictures for virtual adventures.
Google is now offering its Trips service for free to all educational institutions, but the search engine giant may gradually charge different costs for these programs. The Google packages available in high schools and colleges contain its cardboard devices, besides Asus mobile phones that are used as VR trip displays for learners. Teachers use the dedicated application to manage the expedition course and can stop the program whenever they want and ask their students various questions on the subject.
Image source: Hngn.com
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