[MUSIC PLAYING]
KATIE MULLIGAN: Hi, there.
Katie and Tim here with
another episode of "EDU in 90."
Today, we're talking about
an exciting new update
to Google Expeditions,
augmented reality.
TIM ANDERSON: For
the past few years,
Google Expeditions
has enabled students
to go on virtual field
trips and to tour
far-off places via the power
of virtual reality or VR.
Now, Expeditions
AR brings objects
from across time and space
straight into the classroom.
AR stands for augmented
reality, and this
means that through the lens
of your tablet or smartphone,
you can place digital
objects into the real space
right in front of you.
KATIE MULLIGAN: This technology
can bring abstract concepts
like a tiny strand of DNA or
a whirling tornado to life.
Let's take a look.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
TIM ANDERSON:
Expeditions AR enables
teachers to bring
fossils, Renaissance art,
the human brain, and more
directly into the classroom
in a three-dimensional
form that students can
interact with and learn from.
Google Arts & Culture worked
with expert organizations
like Smithsonian, Smarthistory,
and Oxford University Press,
and through those
partnerships, created
more than 100 new AR tours
for students and teachers
to explore.
KATIE MULLIGAN: Here
are a few of the things
to keep in mind as you're
bringing Expeditions
AR into your classroom.
First, there are
tons of AR objects
to explore with your students.
The Expeditions app
is already packed
with over 100 available
tours, and each of these
include several objects.
That's over 600 objects that
are ready to be explored.
Tour the ocean floor to see
plate tectonics, seaweed,
and stingrays.
Or even tour the space
race with objects
like Sputnik, space suits,
Telstar communications
satellite, and Apollo 11.
TIM ANDERSON: We've
heard from you
that it's important
for classroom tools
to offer options to provide
some extra guidance,
and we've taken that to
heart with Expeditions AR.
For a guided
experience, teachers
can print off markers on
which the objects will rest.
These can be found in the
hamburger menu in the app
by selecting Help with markers.
Teachers can also use
the Spotlight feature
to shine an augmented
light on specific aspects
and direct students'
attention to certain aspects
of an object.
KATIE MULLIGAN: Next, we know
that each lesson is unique,
so we've made
objects resizable so
that they can meet these needs.
That way, you're able
to get a close-up
look at a cell
undergoing mitosis,
or shrink an erupting
volcano to fit on your desk.
Your students may
also enjoy seeing
a life-size African
elephant within the walls
of their classroom.
TIM ANDERSON: It's also
important to know that tours
can be saved for future
visits, and students can also
tour on their own for additional
learning outside of the school
day.
KATIE MULLIGAN:
Ready to get started?
Expeditions AR tours
are available to anyone
via the Google Expeditions
app with a compatible Android
or iOS device.
Alternatively, schools can order
a kit with everything you need.
This video's description
has more information
on compatibility and kits.
TIM ANDERSON: That does
it for this episode.
Be sure to subscribe to the
Google for Education YouTube
channel, and we'll
see you next time.
SPEAKER 3: Want to
streamline the feedback
process with your students?
Check out our last
episode to learn more
about new grading functionality
and Google Classroom.
