Virtual Reality in Education
Learning the language of Virtual Reality
What works for 2D video does not work for VR. There are no pans, zooms, or isolated focus’ to direct the viewers’ attention.
A. Proximity – what is closer to the camera is seen as most important. The farther away an object is, the less important it is.
B. Centering (is crucial) –
Viewer can look anywhere in 360-degree video/space.
Directing a viewer’s attention
First shot of VR film is most important b/c it is the only time you have to control where the viewer looks first.
C. Sound is 50% of the experience
Try closing your eyes in a room and have a friend throw something on the floor. You’ll likely be able to place the origin of the sound just from hearing it. In VR, this means creating a binaural audio experience, which means we hear things just as if we were really there. Turn your head left, the sounds changes. Turn your head right, the sound changes accordingly.
D. Ethics: Know when and where you are recording
E. Equipment: Practical, Manageable, Best affordable quality.
**Helping Students Reflect on 360 Video and VR - link
What works for 2D video does not work for VR. There are no pans, zooms, or isolated focus’ to direct the viewers’ attention.
A. Proximity – what is closer to the camera is seen as most important. The farther away an object is, the less important it is.
B. Centering (is crucial) –
Viewer can look anywhere in 360-degree video/space.
Directing a viewer’s attention
First shot of VR film is most important b/c it is the only time you have to control where the viewer looks first.
C. Sound is 50% of the experience
Try closing your eyes in a room and have a friend throw something on the floor. You’ll likely be able to place the origin of the sound just from hearing it. In VR, this means creating a binaural audio experience, which means we hear things just as if we were really there. Turn your head left, the sounds changes. Turn your head right, the sound changes accordingly.
D. Ethics: Know when and where you are recording
E. Equipment: Practical, Manageable, Best affordable quality.
**Helping Students Reflect on 360 Video and VR - link
EquipmentIs not necessarily the most expensive equipment that is important but merely having the best quality for a more effective experience. Immersive VR can be found in many resolutions now. For example, 4K is standard, but 5.7K, 8K, and higher are now available, including 3-D. Cost can range widely from $149-$399 for (4K-5.K) to $4999 for 8K (and above).
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Open New WorldsOne of the most practical examples of Immersive VR is the practice of virtual field trips. Facebook and YouTube have platforms that are embracing VR and allow users to upload their creations. It's a free resource for uploading your custom created content as well as exploring new content yourself.
Check out these examples: YouTube Virtual Reality - LINK 3D VR 360 - LINK |
Your ContentRemember, in immersive 360 video, proximity is king. What is closer to the camera is seen as most important. The farther away an object is, the less important it is. Ask yourself these questions: (1) What is the most important feature of your video shot. (2) What do I need to capture to lead into my next scene or shot.
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5 Key Properties of Good VR Learning Experiences
VR experiences in education should have following properties:
- Immersive. Designers should strive to create the feeling that users are in an experience. For example, if you develop a history app, make history come alive for students.
- Easy to use. Eliminate the need to have special skills to interact with a VR app.
- Meaningful. Meaning is really important for students. You can’t create a good VR learning experience without a good story. That’s why it so important to advance the art of storytelling. Stories quite simply provide the best vehicle for delivering messages that are not only heard and understood, but that also inspire and elicit action.
- Adaptable. As Albert Einstein once said, “I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” VR experiences should allow students to explore at their own pace. The app should provide complete control over the level of difficulty. Designers should establish how students learn and then use this knowledge to design VR products that allow effective learning.
- Measurable. Each educational tool should provide measured impact. Teachers should be able to track the metrics of education so they can measure the resulting knowledge of a subject. When designing VR experiences, it’s essential to choose appropriate metrics and make it clear what criterion will be used to measure success and failure.
Software Platforms for Creating Immersive 360 Video
Most 360 video cameras have their own iOS/Android app that will allow you edit on the fly and upload to YouTube or Facebook. These includes cameras such as the Insta360 One X, Veer VR, Theta+, Theta+Video, plus many others. The items below directly focus on building interactive interfaces for VR Immersive applications. Some of these are free, others include cost (free, minimal, and pro/enterprise versions).
Davinci RESOLVE (link)
FREE High Quality editing software for MAC and PC. It is user friendly and edits like a pro! It has an interface very similar to Final Cut Pro, iMovie or Adobe Premiere. Quick Overview and Tutorial: LINK |
BRIO VR (link)
This is a software that allows you to turn your 360 video footage into an interactive application for any viewer. You can present your designs into a fully interactive VR & AR creator platform. Build your scene and share it instantly. |
What interesting educational virtual reality applications or programs are out there?
CoSpaces.io - Easy-to-use program that allows users to build their own VR environments.
Discovery VR - Educational 360˚ video portfolio which allows you to explore new places, characters and ideas.
Augment - A VR plugin for SketchUp which allows users to bring 3D designs to life in AR from your smartphone or tablet.
SketchFab - Publish, share and discover 3D content online and in VR.
With.in - A library of informative and entertaining VR stories.
Cardboard Camera - Capture and share moments with a VR photos app.
Tilt Brush - Paint and design in VR.
Discovery VR - Educational 360˚ video portfolio which allows you to explore new places, characters and ideas.
Augment - A VR plugin for SketchUp which allows users to bring 3D designs to life in AR from your smartphone or tablet.
SketchFab - Publish, share and discover 3D content online and in VR.
With.in - A library of informative and entertaining VR stories.
Cardboard Camera - Capture and share moments with a VR photos app.
Tilt Brush - Paint and design in VR.