Explore The World With ClassVR

How Students Can Explore the World with ClassVR

The future of virtual and augmented reality is bright, and the most promising applications of both VR and AR may be in education. In a Samsung survey of U.S. elementary and secondary teachers, 93 percent of respondents stated that their students would be excited to use VR technology. Seven out of 10 teachers in the survey said they wanted to use VR more to simulate experiences relevant to the lesson at hand. Excitement for VR is even greater on the student side, according to a survey produced by Cerebrum. Its survey found that 97 percent of students would like to try VR in the classroom. The interest is there, and the market will soon be there as well. An ABI Research study projects the VR education market to expand from $200 million in 2020 to $700 million in 2025. VR and AR are poised to make a major impact in education, and one of the most compelling VR products in the education space is ClassVR. Unlike other commercial VR products, ClassVR is designed for the classroom, with features that make life easier for educators, and plenty of engaging content for students.

How does ClassVR work?

ClassVR can be used as a VR or AR device, and is a standalone headset that students can either hold or secure to their head. ClassVR headsets do not require other devices to function, like a phone or PC, which is a welcome departure from other VR options. Everything is integrated into the headset. When the headsets are not in use, they can be secured in their charging station so they are ready for the next lesson. ClassVR comes with several features that make lesson and classroom management much easier. For example, through the ClassVR interface, which can be accessed remotely from most devices, teachers can select content modules to run, build and save lesson plans, and then deliver the saved lesson to every headset simultaneously. This ensures every student progresses through the lesson predictably and on time. Educators can lock headsets so that students are always looking at important points of interest, or give students complete freedom to control their environment. Educators can also see what every student is looking at through the ClassVR interface, so teachers know if their lesson is getting the desired response. These features are absent from other commercial and consumer VR and AR products, which limits their utility to educators. With ClassVR, teachers have an easy to use tool that will engage students like never before.

What kind of content does ClassVR offer?

There are more than 500 lesson resources available with ClassVR, and they include subjects like physical geography, space, engineering, art, culture, history, biology, architecture and many more. There’s even an entire lesson dedicated solely to sharks, which is something students find fascinating. Here’s a list, by no means comprehensive, of ClassVR’s content offerings:

• Geography – Travel into the caldera of an Icelandic volcano, scale the Himalayas, dive into the Anhumas Abyss in Brazil (one of the largest underwater caves), take a scuba trip around the Maldives, get up close with a geyser, explore a massive glacier or fly over Bryce Canyon in Utah.
• Space – Walk the surface of the moon or Mars, check out the lunar and Mars rovers, explore NASA and its futuristic facilities, view a replica of the Skylab (one of the first space stations), get a front row seat to a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch, climb aboard the Apollo command module or streak through the skies of Jupiter or Saturn.
• Engineering – Walk through the innards of a huge windmill, tinker with a car engine, see how a steam locomotive functions or check out the floor of a major jet service center.
• Art – Get a new perspective on art with digital exhibits, paintings, sculptures and architectural examples that will leave students with appreciation for the subject. Students can see subjects created in time lapse, watching how masters perform their craft.
• History – ClassVR is particularly well-suited for history lessons, as students can travel the world over and see history firsthand. Travel to the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, and explore the Great Pyramid. Tour the tomb of Ramesses VI or the temple of Hathor. Stand in the gladiator pits of the Roman Colosseum or stroll through the Roman Forum. Get an aerial view of the Greek Acropolis or take in the sights from the plateau of Mount Olympus. Walk the Great Wall of China or the Forbidden City in Beijing. ClassVR also has lessons on ancient Britain, Maya, the Aztecs and Cambodia.
• Nature – The most breathtaking natural sights in the world are available through ClassVR. Witness the beauty of the rainforest, the arctic and some of the pristine tropical islands on Earth. Watch giraffes play at the Riga Zoo, hunt next to lions in South Africa or take in a tranquil lake scene swarming with thousands of fireflies.
• Culture – ClassVR gives students a chance to see the greatest places on Earth. Travel to various destinations in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Russia, Korea, South America, New Zealand, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Conflict – One of the least recognized benefits of VR is building empathy in older students by providing serious examples of human conflict. ClassVR gives educators an opportunity to foster this empathy, with content modules dedicated to war and natural disasters.

There’s never been a teaching tool like ClassVR, one that brings the world into the classroom. There’s new content being added all the time, so educators can keep their students engaged now and well into the future.