WondAR and DiscoVR @Your Library

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are all around us. We might just not have realized it. I got my first ah-ha of the integration when I realized what that yellow ten-yard line was on television: augmented reality! Granted, I never believed it was real; however, I didn't realize it was augmented reality. It simply existed. That yellow line served as additional information to help me more clearly understand a concept.

Likewise, the world of virtual reality has existed. Simulators are virtual reality. We definitely don't want to be flying on a plane piloted by someone who only has book knowledge of how to fly and no experience. NASA relies on simulators for successful missions. There comes a point where book knowledge simply is not enough. Being able to physically test yourself without the risk of injury saves lives and money.

Augmented and virtual reality have been seeping into our culture mainly through businesses, and it is exciting to see businesses and corporations being forward thinkers. At the same time, educators have the obligation to lift the veil and reveal the magic of these concepts. Further, educators have a unique opportunity to enable students to be more than mere consumers.

Embracing the free creation and exploration opportunities of AR and VR is amazing. Even more amazing is the opportunity to develop empathy. You can be immersed in a refugee 360º experience. Photographs elicit emotions. The 360º draws you in and helps you "feel" the situation. Bringing the world in with VR provides experiences that help build tolerance for those in different situations. Immersion creates a more emotional experience that sometimes spurs a desire to help make the world better.

Again, science fiction becomes reality. Since the introduction of the hologram of Princess Leia in Star Wars in 1977, as well as worlds of Total Recall in 1990, we have been exposed to and intrigued by what ifs of augmented reality. The video game shift from being able to see what is all around your character to just what is in eyesight makes gaming more immersive, more virtual, more realistic.

Preparing students for the future has, in some cases, shifted to preparing them for tomorrow. I teach things I wasn't taught. I teach things that did not even exist a year ago.

Augmented Reality

Merge Cube

Merge Cube (https://www.miniverse.io/cube-start) is a hologram you hold in your hand. Merge Cube is literally a cube. You may be lucky enough to find some for $1.00. The cube works in conjunction with an app and viewed through a smartphone or iPad. Each side has a different component. Depending on which app you download, a different side could lead you to spinning the galaxy, a different terrain, or a choose-your-own adventure. There are many free apps available; more robust apps, such as Color Black Moment (http://colorblackmoment.com/)with autistic children in mind, have a fee. The Merge website (https://edu.mergevr.com/) includes lists of apps by grade span.

Metaverse

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Metaverse (https://gometa.io/) lets you "code" interactive AR experiences. You could design an experience of Batman teaching math, the Dewey Decimal system, the Constitution, or anything else. The experience could be text based or you could add images and videos to help explain the topic. Experiences could range from a personal trainer telling you what to do and cheering you on, to an interactive what-to-read-next infographic. The creation opportunities are limitless Gamify your class through rewarding and requiring items, adding a leader board, and creating challenges. Experiences are created on a computer. There's no software to download,and it works on Chromebooks. The completed experience is then viewed via QR code with the free Metaverse app on a smartphone using iOS or Android.

Virtual Reality

CoSpaces

You can truly create anything in CoSpaces EDU (https://cospaces.io/edu/). Once you have created a teacher account, provide a class code for students to create their account. CoSpaces lets you build a 360º world. There is a library of 3D shapes and images to help you create. You can also upload your own images. Students could capture the main events of a story, create molecules, or code a conversation between world leaders. Imagine creating a virtual portfolio of student work for out-of-town grandparents. Block-style coding is included on the free plan, which allows items to move and talk. The worlds you create may be viewed on computer or on smartphone (with or without viewers). A new update of this freemium product includes viewing your creation as AR with a Merge Cube.

Google Arts and Culture

When you can't jump on a plane and to go to the Louvre, you can still visit and see all the wonderful art for free thanks to Google Arts and Culture (https://artsandculture.google.com/). You can tour multiple museums, explore themes and collections, or search for an artist. There aren't any red velvet ropes or people telling you to step back from the artwork. You can get as close as you want to the paintings and see each brush stroke. Use a series of artworks to research a time period, use art pieces to launch students' writing, or trace the development and inspiration of an artist.

Google Street View

Those 360º cameras are nice; however, they also come with a "nice" price tag. Any smartphone can create a photo sphere. A photo sphere is a picture that surrounds you, thus allowing you to look up, down, and all around. Google Street View's Pegman will help you create a photo sphere. You take around thirty pictures that are quickly stitched together. Tip: pretend the phone is on a tripod and move your body around the camera to take pictures as you will line up the next shot with the orange circle. When capturing the floor, take a wide stance or your feet will be in the picture. You can contribute and share your 360º creation for others to see in Google Street View or keep it private. The Street View app available for iOS and Android (https://www.google.com/streetview/apps/).

Roundme

Take that photo sphere made in Google Street View or with a 360º camera and make it interactive using Roundme (https://www.roundme.com/). In Roundme, you can add interactive pieces of information. This information may be a couple of sentences explaining what is there, or the information could be a link, a video, or another 360º portal. You could create an interactive 360º tour of your school to help students and parents feel more comfortable when they first visit. Perhaps your 360º is of a teacher team, a field trip, or a favorite reading spot.

Google Tour Creator

Another new 360º annotation option is the free Google Tour Creator (https://vr.google.com/tourcreator/). You can make your personal 360º interactive or use one from Street View. As with Roundme, you can label points of interest to provide more information. You can also add a photo overlay, sound, and narration.

Almost seamlessly, augmented reality and virtual reality have seeped into our lives. New technology has brought more advanced instances, but also, the great ability to bring AR and VR exploration and creation into the classroom at low or no cost. To learn more, join #ARVRinEDU a 30-minute Twitter chat held Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. PST.