Thursday, May 2, 2019

Virtual Reality Made Easy

I've been playing around with Google Cardboard recently and am excited about the potential for using it in the classroom. Google Cardboard is a virtual reality platform that pairs with a smartphone that runs a variety of virtual reality applications like Google Expeditions to immerse the viewer into a virtual world filled with educational content. Users can download one of Google's templates like a tour of Machu Pichu or create their own VR content using Google Maps Street View that can be published to Expeditions using Google Tour Creator. Here's how it works:

Required Materials:
  • Google Cardboard 
  • Smartphone
  • Google Expeditions App
View an Existing Expedition using your Smartphone:
  1. Download and install the Google Expeditions app to your smartphone and log in to your Google account (see Android and iOS links above).
  2. Open Expeditions, search for a Tour you would like to view in VR and download it to your Library (Note: Google Expeditions has VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) content. Think of it this way--VR replaces your vision; AR adds to it. Explore both! 
  3. Open the Tour you selected and insert your smartphone into the Google Cardboard headset and immerse yourself into a virtual world!
View an Existing Expedition using Google Tour Creator:
  1. On your computer or Chromebook, visit Google Tour Creator.
  2. Click Get Started and select Templates from the menu at the top of the screen.
  3. Scroll through the templates and select one that you would like to edit or publish.
  4. You can publish the template as-is, or you can add your own text, voice narration, points of interest, and scenes.
  5. Publish your template--you can view it on your computer or Chromebook or you can open it using the Google Expeditions app on your smartphone to view it in Google Cardboard.
Create Your Own VR Tour using Google Tour Creator:
  1. On your computer or Chromebook, visit Google Tour Creator.
  2. Click Get Started and select + New Tour from the menu at the top of the screen.
  3. Give your tour a title and description. Upload a cover photo, select a category, and click Create.
  4. Search for a location and drop the "peg man" onto the map to add a Street View photo to your scene (or upload your own Street View photos--you can take 360° photos using the Street View app for Android or iOS on your smartphone. Some smartphone cameras will allow you to take "photo sphere" 360° photos with the native camera app.
  5. Add the scene to your tour and type a title and description. You can also add voice narration and points of interest. 
  6. Continue to add scenes and publish your work when you are done. Your tour by default is public, but you can make it unlisted.
  7. View your tour on your computer or Chromebook or you can open it using the Google Expeditions app on your smartphone to view it in Google Cardboard.

Google Tour Creator Walk-Through





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