With schools and non-essential businesses closed in many communities, we are grappling with how to keep the learning going while practicing social distancing. Today, we are talking about a free app that can take you to over 900 places from your living room: the Google Expeditions app. And no, you don’t need a VR headset to use it! It is downloadable from the Apple app store or Google Play store and offers an exciting selection of content that students can use to digitally travel to all kinds of places while remaining safe in their homes.
As an explorer partaking in one of the expeditions, you can choose to view your expedition in VR view or full-screen, 360-degree mobile view. If you don’t have a VR headset at home, it’s best to choose the 360-degree mobile view. This still allows you to fully engage in the expeditions using just your smartphone and is a viable option for those students who cannot access the full line of equipment.
Google Expeditions lessons are intended to be viewed in VR and, if using a headset, it provides an immersive experience that blocks out light and magnifies the screen display. Of course, the option to view the expeditions without the headset increases access for those who do not have this technology available to them, which we find to be way more important! Especially when many students are looking for ways to stay engaged and excited at home, it’s valuable to have access to the content without the need for the headset.
Explorers can also go on to create their own expeditions, too! Google has developed a technology tool called Tour Creator, which is a web-based platform that allows you to put together tours using Google maps and other images that can then be viewed on any device, whether you have a VR headset or not.
Another way to engage in Google Expeditions is one that might be appealing to makers and that’s by creating your own cardboard headset! You’ll need a few items besides cardboard, including lenses, magnets, a hook and loop fastener, and a rubber band, but it’s definitely possible to do at home. If you’re interested, you can follow these instructions for material specifications and best practices for constructing your own headset. Once built, we recommend undergoing testing to ensure the viewer is compatible with Google Cardboard apps and is safe to use!
With the Tour Creator app, specifically, you can build tours online and then share the link with others who may be interested in seeing the same things. In a time in which many of us are hunkered down at home, it could be a great opportunity for students to create something they can share with their friends, teachers, or maybe even their grandparents. Nothing can truly replace that in-person interaction, but the Tour Creator tool is one way to help us all stay closer together while apart.
Since Tour Creator can be accessed on mobile phones, tablets, and computers, it makes it a bit more accessible in this new era of distance learning. While we know we cannot completely solve the problems many teachers and students are facing while forced to remain home, we hope we can at least provide some insight on potential activities and projects for kids.
Google Expeditions is a unique EdTech tool in that the app can be used alone without supportive technology. We also offer larger scale Google Expeditions packs for educators who wish to cart headsets and devices between classrooms, libraries, and makerspaces. You can find the full Google Expeditions line on our store or by clicking on the products that appear below. If you have any questions about how Google Expeditions can help boost STEAM initiatives whether you are in or out of the classroom, please feel free to contact us and make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all of our EdTech Tips & Tricks!
Update: The Google Expeditions mobile application will no longer be supported as of June 2021. To continue using the Google Expeditions system, we recommend implementing the Google Arts & Culture app. You may still submit quotes for the Google Expeditions systems or contact sales@eduporium.com to learn more about the future of Google Expeditions.
UPDATE: We've recently selected a potential hardware alternative for Google Expeditions kits. The RobotLAB VR Expeditions 2.0 kits are now available on our store. They include VR bundles with materials for 10, 20, or 30 students as well as a similar platform that educators used with Google Expeditions. Educators can bring students on over 700 immersive Expeditions, virtual field trips, and more using the Expeditions 2.0 mobile app. Click to explore our current list of RobotLAB VR Expeditions 2.0 offerings.