QR Codes + Virtual Tour
I used QR Code Monkey to create my QR Code. The first time I remember being introduced to QR codes was in Fall 2014. It was my first job working in a middle school library. I thought they were really cool and our district was 1:1 technology with iPads for every student. The STEM coordinator and I used QR codes around the library to give information, share book talks, to have students sign in, or ask for help. Students love using QR codes because they are so easy to create and use with their iPads.
I thought Dr. Kimmel’s final comments in her lecture on layered realities was interesting when she talked about how technologies can evolve quickly, yet sometimes it can take time for them to be adopted into society and culture (Kimmel, 2022). I find this to be true. Eight years ago I encountered my first QR Code, and now post-pandemic they are everywhere. Yet I think it took a pandemic for QR codes to be readily accessible. For example they have now replaced menus in many restaurants. I find this change annoying and frustrating. If I forgot my phone or it has a low battery, I have to ask for a real menu. For myself, the idea of going out to dinner (with someone else) is to take a break from phones and technology, and QR code menus to not allow for this.
In Hawaii, I went to Maui Brewing Company, and QR codes paired with online ordering took away the whole personal experience for me. I am a Colorado gal, and I love my breweries. For me, the fun is talking to a bartender, asking them questions, learning about the beer, how it was made, the ingredients, etc. It is an educational experience and I am guaranteed to enjoy what I ordered, because I have walked through this experience with a knowledgeable server. It’s the human connection I desire and sometimes technology can bypass that connection. Yet on the contrary there is a time and place for it in education.
Virtual Tour: Coral Reefs in the Caribbean
After my trip to Hawaii and all the snorkeling I did there, I was inspired to dive deeper into the coral reefs of the Caribbean! I really like virtual tours and think it can add a lot to a lesson or unit for a class. It can be assigned or it can be given as an extra resource for those that need more content or an alternative way of learning in a lesson. Another way virtual tours could be utilized as a tool for preliminary research to explore places/topics before students are to choose a topic for a project or a paper. Think “student by-in” and perhaps the needed hook to get them excited about a topic.
I have not been to Bonaire National Marine Park off the coast of Venezuela, or to the Mayreau Hot Springs in the Bahamas. The shipwreck in Aruba was fascinating to see, and to learn a little history about it along the way. I have in real life and on this virtual tour, visited parts of the MesoAmerican Reef in Belize and Cozumel, Mexico. In Google Arts and Culture (n.d.), it said that the MesoAmerican Reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world. It is absolutely amazing to experience and for those that are not able to, this virtual tour or other virtual reality technologies are a great alternative for experiencing it. Hopefully through education and virtual tours like these, people will realize how valuable and delicate the coral ecosystems are in this world. With these types of virtual realities offered, people can have an emotional connection to what they are viewing and even take action to help protect valuable ecosystems.
Layered Reality
I find the layered technology topic very fun and interesting. I don’t feel like I have a lot of experience with it, and I am not much into gaming, so I haven’t been exposed to many types of virtual realities.
In the video, Learning and Technology with Frank (2021), he talked about two types of headsets used for virtual reality simulations. This type of technology doesn’t always seem practical for a classroom setting of 30+ students because the equipment can be expensive. This technology is also constantly improving in quality, which means headsets and various tech can get outdated quickly. I could see a library or tech classroom having a class set of 40 headsets that other teachers could check out and use in their classes for a lesson or unit. I thought it was interesting what Frank mentioned in regards to passive/static learning versus active/immersive learning (Learning and Technology with Frank, 2021). He has a very valid point. I have thought many times, how can I get a passive Google Slideshow to be more active for my students? Loom and PearDeck are two examples of how a teacher can add video that students need to listen to, and add interactive questions to answer.
In the video, Double Robotics (2015), a student was able to be live and digitally present in the classroom from home. She could move around in the classroom, and go from one class to another with the aid of a robot and her video/camera/screen. I have seen this technology before, and see there is a lot of value for students with health issues that aren’t able to be physically present in the classroom. The student in the video was able to go to the board, ask questions, interact with her classmates and participate in groups. The principal of the school commented how it was not only beneficial for her, but it brought diversity to the classroom (Double Robotics, 2015). Students were able to interact with her and she could feel more like a student in a class with her classmates.
References
Double Robotics. (2015, July 17). Case study: Sebasticook Valley Middle School + double robotics [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aln1V0rtCkE
Google Arts and Culture (n.d.). Underwater Caribbean. [Virtual tour]. Retrieved July 16, 2022 from https://artsandculture.google.com/story/hAXhOgP8F5uzUA
Kimmel, S. (2022). Layered realities. [Lecture video]. Old Dominion University. https://canvas.odu.edu/courses/1992/pages/week-9-layered-reality?module_item_id=2685904
Learning and Technology with Frank. (2021, December 14). Metaverse for education- 5 ways to use virtual reality in schools [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WogQ0X4ITHM
I also thought the price of VR headsets could easily get in the way of their use in the classroom, but I can definitely see a school purchasing one set to check out. The possibilities would be worth it for the experience. During the pandemic, I used many virtual field trips, but they were very passive. Access to this would really transform learning.
I love that you chose to explore the coral reef!
I agree with you about the QR codes. They are an incredibly easy and useful thing to use but it does take away the personal contact. I had the same experience in Seattle last fall. I love chatting with the locals and finding out where to go, what to do, what to eat. The QR code took away that human touch. I am so jealous of your travels!
Yes, VR can be expensive, even as it’s more affordable with the Quest option. I own a Quest 2 headset, and while technology is always evolving and improving, the quality of these are still very good. However, I do agree they are still too expensive for every single classroom to have, so the idea of having a set that can be checked out by teachers is much more manageable.