Presentation on review of current state of VR hardware and software in educational settings, and exploring the idea of VR labs in schools

1. Virtual Reality in
K-12:
New Affordances and potentials, mapping the
landscape and anticipating challenges
Garrett Munro
Central Michigan University
6/27/2015

2. {Prelude}
● LSSU 2010 BA in Comm Studies
● Teaching in China since
● District teacher coordinator in the city of Shenzhen
● Currently Director of Studies at an International School
● Started an ed-tech project 16 months ago, oomApp:

3. {Context for This Project}

4. New hardware developments will bring
consumer grade, affordable virtual reality
headsets to market within 9 months. The
implications for teaching and learning are huge,
but challenges and barriers remain.
Presentation based on this paper: https://docs.google.
com/document/d/19boNWIZZ_zs_h0oZC00yVSwVHDbrzZvb8iCuvannQhI/edit?usp=sharing
Abstract

5. Virtual Reality:
New Hardware

6. 4 companies set to launch VR hardware
in the next 9 months
Samsung Gear VR
(accessory for Note4)
HTC Vive, developed with
Valve
Not pictured:
Facebook’s Oculus Rift,
Sony’s “project morpheus”

7. This Time, it’s for Real
Previous false starts with VR have been surmounted given new advances in
hardware and software technologies:
● dramatic increase in PC computing power
● new algorithms for “head tracking”, “time
warping”, and interfacability with OS and other
development platforms
● reduction of cost and more widespread use of
high powered hardware (including mobile)
● commitment by large companies to make this a
reality: Facebook, Valve, Sony, Samsung

8. Costs and Feasibility
● Costs vary for this hardware. Oculus Rift and HTC Vive,
display adaptors for standard PC’s, will range from 300-
400 USD each. The rig required to run these at required
settings will need to have higher than average
horsepower, at around 800 USD
● Samsungs mobile VR costs the 200 USD, plus the
cellphone itself, Note4 (varies)
● Development kits are available now, the rest are
launching in late 2015 or Q1 2016

9. What application does this have in Learning or
the classroom?
● Plethora of research on the benefits of multimedia
learning (Mayer 2001)
● Video games and learning also have surprising benefits
for priming greater retention of content: “Preparation
for future learning” (Squire 2014)
● New media, as yet untested, differs in significant ways
from earlier media: immersion, scaling and Presence

10. What application does this have in Learning or
the classroom?
● VR is and has been used to treat addiction, as
augmented therapy
● implications abound for counseling, intervention, or
special education
● Virtual field trips could save dramatically on costs and
broaden students horizons
● interactive simulation assessments (think US Air Force)
could more accurately prepare students for the real
world
● as a generative resource, great application for creative

11. Apps and games in the Market
● most projects under development are video games,
entertainment, or art (see Van Goghs paintings come to
life)
● several apps have education focus, such as “Titans of
Space”
● 360 degree documentaries can give more immersive
experiences and drive interest, tolerance, empathy:
Chris Milk’s Ted talk
● Resources for amature (student or teacher) driven
content have never been easier to use or more affordable

12. Watch this Tour of Titans of
Space

13. VR might also have great potential for language
teaching, motivation and assessment

14. The VR Lab- a scalable Model
for school integration
● To make the best use of resources, schools might invest
in one VR lab set (25 sets, around 30k USD)
○ In this way, teachers and classes could share the resource
○ training would need to be done with teachers to find the best way to
integrate VR experiences into the curriculum
○ feasibility on apps and experiences needs to be completed
○ would be more useful in specific contexts: foreign language schools,
technical academies, STEM magnet schools, international schools,
private academies
A smaller set (8) might be set up, where students can complete the
experience on their own time, or on a rotation. This model follows Squires
research on “preparation for future learning” with Video games and

15. Challenges

16. Detractors
● Just another false start
● “little educational value”
● school’s are still facing great challenges with
successfully implementing basic digital
resources

17. Culture change
● The question isn’t if, but when
● if we wait for industry to develop educational resources,
it’ll be at least a decade before we see widespread use
● teachers and students could lead a more grassroots
approach to appropriating funds and partnering with
developers, or creating their own learning apps

18. Schools on the Edge
● One private school in the US has already purchased a set of Oculus Rifts
and is using it in AP CS and art courses (Charlotte Latin School)
● private academies and tech based character schools will probably be first
adopters, alongside affluent home school groups
● as the technology matures, students and parents will follow (FB, mobile
and other appls, video games, will tug Ed-tech forward)

19. The power of VR shouldn’t be
underestimated
● Given the “culture wars” of the 90’s, and recent skirmishes over state
curriculum, it’s no doubt that the creators of the curriculum and content
could use the experiences for their own interests:
● creating docile consumers, non-questioning “patriots”, or religious zealots
● integrating VR with sound CRITICAL PEDAGOGY, and inviting students to
become creators, and not consumers, will be a best practice and
maintaining empowered, vocal, informed and critical citizens in a
democratic society

20. References
References
Cammarata, L., & Tedick, D. (2012). Balancing Content and Language in Instruction: The Experience of Immersion
Teachers. The Modern Language Journal, 251-269.
Feltham, J. (2014, July 17). Ancient Rome MMO Life of Rome to Include Oculus Rift Support - VRFocus. Retrieved June 28,
2015, from http://vrfocus.com/archives/5254/ancient-rome-mmo-life-rome-include-oculus-rift-support/
Friedman, T. (2005). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Gee, J. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Herold, Benjamin. "Oculus Rift Fueling New Vision for Virtual Reality in K-12; But critics question educational value."
Education Week 27 Aug. 2014: 10. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 June 2015.
Lowenthal, P., & Dunlap, J. (2010). From pixel on a screen to real person in your students' lives: Establishing social presence

21. Thank you!