Introducing Education in 360
At Seymour & Lerhn, we believe that learning should be a fun experience! Research suggests that information is retained better when it’s delivered as a multi-sensory experience.
The 2018 study by Lenovo showed a whopping 94% of teachers in the UK think that virtual reality would benefit the classroom.
Despite only 23% of teachers having used VR as a teaching aid, an incredible 97% found their students to be more engaged in lessons with the use of VR.
Learn More About the Role of VR in the Classroom
Clearly teachers are championing the benefits of VR in the classroom, but does that mean you need to rush out and buy 30 VR headsets for your classroom? Well, not necessarily.
One of the major drawbacks in classroom VR is the cost. Integrated VR headsets can be an expensive investment for schools to make, and it can be difficult to convince the higher powers that the benefits outweigh the costs!
However, VR can be introduced into the classroom for a very low-cost and one of the most simple ways to incorporate VR in your lessons is with YouTube. With just a smartphone and a Google Cardboard VR headset, your class can discover immersive virtual reality experiences for free (almost!).
See How Brookfield Community School Used Accessible VR to Help Teach the First World War
You are no doubt aware of the huge range of educational videos on YouTube, which can be a fantastic tool for teaching, offering an virtually unlimited supply of free videos covering every topic under the sun! You might not know that YouTube also supports 360 and VR, with educational VR content readily available.
YouTube 360 videos are free to view, giving you and your pupils the chance to discover 360 education or immersive VR education without any cost barriers or persuasion tactics required!
Looking to try educational VR videos with your class?
Here are our Top Tips for using YouTube as a VR teaching resource.
Our Top Tips for getting the most out of VR educational videos on YouTube
1. Download the App
To view 360 videos on tablets or phones, you’ll need to download the YouTube app. This is free to download and use, and has the added benefit of saving videos for later. Simply head to your iOS, Android or Windows app store, search for YouTube and hit download. The YouTube app works in very much the same way as the browser version, allowing you to search for 360 videos and play or save for later.
To get into VR mode, just tap the VR headset icon in the bottom corner and drop your mobile into a Google Cardboard or similar. You can tap the button on the top of the headset to select options once in VR.
2. Subscribe
Once you find a 360 YouTube channel you like, make sure to subscribe to their channel. Not only will you be notified when new content is added, you’ll also help the channel to grow and allow them to produce more educational content – win, win!
3. Create QR Codes
If you’re nervous about letting your pupils loose on YouTube, create a QR code linking straight to the video using a free generator like qr-code-generator. Print off the QR codes and get your pupils to scan them with the device camera to send them directly to the 360 video you want them to see – without distractions!
4. A 360 Video is Not Just for Mobile…
Try playing 360 videos on other devices for different experiences. A video can be played on an interactive whiteboard for a shared classroom experience to encourage collaboration and discussion. Alternatively, mix and match with tablets, PCs and VR headsets for a varied exploration of a topic.
5. Trust the Experts
Finding high-quality curriculum aligned content can be challenging with so many educational VR videos to choose from, but we’ve made it easy for teachers to find valuable, high-quality content with our free 360 video channel. Get a taster for our range of immersive VR resources on our YouTube channel, where we’ve have a growing library of educational videos in our Education in 360 series; a collection of 360 videos suitable for KS1 and KS2.
The Education in 360 library is updated regularly, providing fun, stimulating ways to get young ones learning and interacting.
Simply visit our YouTube channel, load any of our video content and off you go! Navigate round the video in 360 and explore from every angle, while our friendly mascots guide you through the lesson.
‘Education in 360’ is designed to be concise enough to hold the interest of younger learners and they can easily be re-played to go over key learning objectives again.
Ready? Get started!
We allow free use of our Education in 360 videos for non-profit teaching purposes via the YouTube website or native YouTube app. If you liked these, why not try our education platform where you can find a wide range of virtual tours and experiences for Primary schools!
Seymour & Lerhn is an online platform, delivering high-quality interactive eLearning for primary schools. Content can be viewed on interactive whiteboards for shared learning or used on tablets, laptops and mobile phones for smaller groups, with lesson plans and activity worksheets included as part of the subscription package. At just £399 per year for the whole school, you can take your pupils on a voyage of discovery – all from the safety and comfort of the classroom.
Our team of talented creatives craft immersive and engaging experiences to capture imaginations and make learning fun; vetted and approved by our in-house teaching professionals. Our creative minded teachers also build bespoke lesson plans and activities to help teachers like you save time and get the most out of your lessons.
Get in touch to find out more about the benefits of introducing Seymour & Lerhn to your school.
