Virtual and augmented reality are changing up the classroom. Now students are able to see things virtually that they wouldn't have been able to see without these technological advancements. Many school districts have gone Google, and now Google has their own platform for virtual and augmented reality.
Using Google Expeditions teachers are able to expand the walls of the classroom giving students access to 360° scenes and 3D objects. This helps teachers make learning fun and meaningful for students.
In order to bring Google Expeditions to your classroom, you will need mobile phones or tablets with the Expeditions app. Google offers 3 different options for creating your Google Expeditions kit.
Option 1: Buy a Kit
Kits can be purchased through numerous suppliers. Best Buy Education offers 3 different options ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
Want to try it before you buy it? Test out Google Expeditions for yourself. You will need the following:
An Android, Chrome OS, or iOS mobile device
The Expeditions app
[Optional] A Cardboard or Daydream VR viewer.
View the following videos for a short tutorial on how to use Google Expeditions.
Google Expeditions allows teachers to expose their students to tons of historical landmarks, locations around the world, and many other options. There are over 900 VR tours and over 100 AR tours! Imagine your students' reactions when they are able to virtually walk through the solar system!
Makerspaces are becoming the new staple in libraries. However, I’m not going to lie, they terrify me because of the small budget which I have to work with because my school is so very small. I have about $150, yearly, that I can spend on library supplies, and the remainder of my budget is strictly dedicated to purchasing books. So, finding a way to create a makerspace area in my library, with my limited funds, led me to search for a blog relating to makerspace creation, on a budget.
In my search, I stumbled across a blog by Gwyneth Jones, “The Daring Librarian,” titled
Makerspace Starter Kit. In her blog, she outlines a basic starter kit, which can all be purchased
on Amazon, for about $350! The kit would contain everything needed to create a Duct Tape
craft, LEGO creation, and Makey Makey Coding stations. Everything in her starter kit, I was
familiar with except Makey Makey. After doing some further research on Makey Makey, I was
amazed. Just the idea of creating your own “keys” to match something that you are doing on a
computer is nothing short of AMAZING! I really think the kids at my school would enjoy Makey
Makey, especially since they all have their own Chromebooks.
The information shared by “The Daring Librarian” is useful for any school library program working with a small budget. Her kit allows kids to really become makers. “Makers are problem solvers, idea dreamers; they tinker, hack, and customize products and materials to better serve them. Makers live out lifelong learning. They see a problem, something that isn't working for them, and they research ways to solve the problem and experiment, pushing the limits until they are satisfied.” (CANINO-FLUIT, 2014) With this starter kit, kids can tinker with LEGOS, customize with Duct Tape, and problem solve with Makey Makey. And because there “is no set list of equipment or programming required to make a space successful,” this kit allows the user to make it into what fits their library program needs without breaking the bank. ("The Makings of Maker Spaces, Part 1: Space for Creation, Not Just Consumption") I really felt like this would be a useful resource for others who are feeling apprehensive about incorporating a makerspace into their library program, especially for those who are limited on funds. This kit is a great starter for any library because there is a little something for different types of makers, and because of its simplicity, you can find out if having a makerspace in your library is worth the investment. As Dr. Moorefield-Lang stated, Makerspaces are not for every library, you have to test it out to see if it is something that your patrons will use. This kit allows you to test the idea out, without breaking the bank.
References
CANINO-FLUIT, A. anacaninofluit@gmail. co. (2014). School Library Makerspaces. Teacher Librarian, 41(5), 21–27. Retrieved from https://login.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=llf&AN=96678450&site=ehost-live
Jones, G. (2018, August 28). The Daring Librarian. Retrieved from https://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/2015/06/makerspace-starter-kit.html
The Makings of Maker Spaces, Part 1: Space for Creation, Not Just Consumption. Retrieved from http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/10/public-services/the-makings-of-maker-spaces-part-1-space-for-creation-not-just-consumption/
