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Introducing My Classroom and it’s Offline Capabilities

Introducing My Classroom and it’s Offline Capabilities

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VR (Virtual Reality) helps to create fun and engaging lessons, but does it really have to be so expensive? 

 

We don’t think so!

 

While tech is becoming more and more advanced, this is coming with an ever increasing price tag. But you shouldn’t need the best of the best to have a good educational experience. Wouldn’t it be good to make use of that old mobile device you have lying around doing nothing? What if you could use it to give your students a new and unique experience instead? 

Through the power of the Seymour & Lerhn platform and the “My Classroom” app, you can now easily share out immersive VR content for all your students to enjoy simultaneously, while still giving you (the teacher) control over the experience. Through My Classroom you are able to share out videos (regular and 360), virtual tours, AR, quizzes and even any custom teaching resources you might have prepared beforehand. 

And the best part? It’s super easy to use!

 

This all sounds great but perhaps it has raised a few questions? Not to worry, we have you covered.
 

What devices are officially supported?
  – Windows
  – Mac
  – IOS
  – Android
  – (VR) Pico Headsets
  – (VR) Google Cardboard Compatible Devices
 Any device with access to a modern web browser will work, but if you are still unsure you can either contact us or create a trial account free of charge.

 What devices are recommended for the best teaching experience?
  – Desktop: Windows/Mac
  – VR: Pico Headset

My children are home-schooled, is this for me?
  – Yes! We have a Teacher subscription option that may be of interest. This will also give you to access the My Classroom App.

I have a limited internet connection, what are my options? (Offline App)
  – We developed the My Classroom App with this in mind, you can download all the content you need on one device and share it with your students on the same      network. The offline app can be installed from here (link).

How do I use the platform?
  – A very in-depth and detailed guide can be found here (link).

I’m not sold on the VR, but I like the idea of the virtual classroom.
  – Not to worry, all of our content is made to also be used outside of VR. 
  – Custom uploaded content can also be used in My Classroom, such as Digital PDF’s, web pages and videos.

Whether you are using cutting edge technology or a collection of old mobile devices for your VR lessons, we are determined to continue to provide 

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Virtual Reality : aka VR

 

Virtual Reality (VR) is the full experience; you don a futuristic headset, the world is entirely computer generated, and is immersive enough to make you forget about the real world around you! 

You can interact with things around you or even walk around (clear space required!)

360 : aka Fishtank VR

 

Okay. We just got to grips with VR and now there’s a prefix?!

This type of VR is less complicated than it sounds!

With 360 or Fishtank VR, the experience is fixed to a single location, a series of static locations, or a video. You can look around, but you can’t independently move around in the space. 

This can be with VR headsets like the Google Cardboard or Homido Grab and a smartphone loaded with a virtual tour or 360 video. Or it can be a shared experience from an interactive whiteboard, laptop, or tablet.

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Introducing My Classroom and it’s Offline Capabilities

Multiple projectors display a seamless 360 image inside a dome construction or retrofitted room. The audience are able to look around their surroundings in a fully shared experience.

Immersive domes have been around for a while but are now finally in reach of schools.

You need to have a suitable space and installations can be expensive, but the domes provide incredibly immersive teaching environments which are second to none – if you have the budget available its a no-brainer!

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Augmented Reality : aka AR

 

Augmented Reality (AR) is basically an overlay of digital content in the real world, viewed through a camera.

 

Think Pokemon Go and Snapchat.

 

It’s placing and viewing virtual objects within your real-world space using just the camera on your phone or tablet.

Mixed Reality : aka MR

 

Mixed Reality (MR) is a sort of VR/AR hybrid.

It is the merging of real and virtual environments which are able to interact with each other in real-time. For example, headsets are able to project real time information to engineers working with building or infrastructure. The headsets are able to recognise real world objects and overlay relevant information.

Introducing My Classroom and it’s Offline Capabilities

Microsoft Hololens

eXtended Reality : aka XR

 

XR is the term which brings all these ‘R’s together!

Extended Reality is the umbrella under which VR/AR/MR/360 all sit.

Whilst the terms VR and AR have slowly made their way into mainstream use, XR is still relatively uncommon.

As technology evolves, it’s possible that we will add more R’s to the XR family and it may well become the ‘parent’ term.

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So now you understand VR, AR, MR, and XR – how can you successfully bring them into the classroom?

Check out our guide to using VR in the classroom for free

Or sign up with Seymour & Lerhn to explore VR and AR with handy teaching guides and follow up activities – all from a user-friendly online platform.

Chesterfield school steps inside WW1 trenches to mark centenary

Chesterfield school steps inside WW1 trenches to mark centenary

A Chesterfield school has taken their learning to a new immersive level by incorporating a virtual reality experience as part of their English studies.

Year 7 at Brookfield Community School is studying Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful, a story about a brotherly bond during World War 1.

As part of their learning around this year’s centenary, pupils are using virtual reality (VR) technology to explore the WW1 trenches, giving them a glimpse into the living conditions for millions of British soldiers.

Eckington-based educational VR company, Seymour & Lerhn, has provided the headset for Brookfield School and is sharing the trench tour as a free-to-access resource with all schools across the UK to mark November’s centenary.

English teacher at Brookfield Community School, Nick Davey, said: “Our pupils have really enjoyed using virtual reality technology as part of their studies.

“They’ve said how using the VR headset makes them more sympathetic to those who fought in the world wars and given them a better understanding of what life was like day-to-day.

“My colleagues, as well as pupils, have been really excited to try out this new way of learning. It’s been great to see our pupils get so much from it and I’d encourage other schools to get on board.”

The free learning resource is available to all schools in the UK between 1st-16th November, to help pupils learn more about the conditions soldiers endured during four years on the front line.

Available to access on interactive whiteboards, tablets and virtual reality headsets, classes can explore the trenches individually or in groups.

Pupils can pick between a narrated 360° virtual tour of the trenches, or the same interactive tour with poems from the time.

Gemma Hyland, Outreach Manager at Seymour & Lerhn said: “We’re using engaging technology to show school pupils a completely different world to the one they know today, but is likely one experienced by their great-grandparent’s generation.

“It’s important to mark the end of World War 1 and recognise the sacrifices made. We hope pupils will enjoy stepping into the past and learning about the war in this immersive way.”

Both VR experiences are also available in video format, so classes can explore the trenches together and come with a lesson plan to complete once they’ve navigated the tour.

Find out more about the WW1 resources

VR in the Classroom

VR in the Classroom

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Teachers want VR!

In a comprehensive study by Lenovo, data showed a whopping 94% of teachers in the UK think that virtual reality would benefit the classroom, with 42% expecting it to become commonplace in the next five years.

So what does this mean for the future of the classroom?

Although only 23% of teachers have used VR as a teaching aid, 97% found their students to be more engaged in lessons with the use of VR. These figures seem to suggest that VR is not just a gimmick, but a useful tool to be utilised by teachers, particularly when teaching subjects which have not been directly experienced by pupils. Indeed, 36% of teachers admit that they have struggled to make subjects real and relatable, with 42% saying they simply don’t have time to do so. However, 66% believed that VR can solve these problems, with the biggest benefit identified as the ability to bring things to life.

What do teachers want from VR?

Most teachers wanted to take students to explore new worlds, with climbing to the top of everest (67%), seeing moments in history such as the D-Day Beach landings (66%) and exploring wildlife and the natural world (65%) coming out on top. Teachers voted Sciences (27%) and Geography (23%) as the subjects which would benefit most from VR.

Even with the wide range of suppliers of VR and technology within the classroom, teachers still face hurdles to deliver these experiences, with 71% saying budgets are one of the biggest barriers, followed by lack of technology (50%) and time (44%). Despite these problems, 73% of teachers agree that it will be a key facilitator to move classrooms forward into the future, with 55% of teachers of the firm belief that VR will lead to an upturn in grades.

Rich Henderson, director of global education solutions at Lenovo, said: “The research highlights that tech and specifically VR offers endless possibilities when it comes to teaching. Students are no longer bound by classroom walls and teachers are no longer bound by traditional lesson plans. There’s a whole new range of experiences for students to take inspiration from, with three quarters (75%) believing that VR can support blended learning, and embedding it into existing practices will improve the classroom. It’s time to embrace this technology and give teachers the tools they need to inspire the workforce of tomorrow.”

 

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An infographic showing the key statistics of VR use in the classroom

How can teachers get over those hurdles and introduce VR?

Although the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift dominate the high end VR market, there are many other ways in which teachers can deliver high quality content to students, without stretching budgets to the limit. Web-based, multi-platform VR allows pupils to interact with virtual tours on almost any device, meaning significant savings for schools. This flexibility allows teachers to control the lesson, from individual experiences with a Google cardboard, through to a group experience and discussion based around a SmartBoard. Seymour & Lerhn is one such company delivering a wide range of experiences in line with the UK National Curriculum on an affordable subscription basis.

Find out more

It is clear from the research that VR is an invaluable tool, bringing impossible experiences to life and ultimately helping to sculpt the next generation. With 74% of teachers believing that there will be a positive effect on the design and creativity skills of students, it is certainly an exciting time to be in education!