Jenny Leclair
Virtual Environments and Digital Divide Technology Artifact
Module 6
This blog post can be found directly from
http://ksuitecleclairportfolio.weebly.com/virtual-reality-and-digital-divide
Augmented reality and virtual reality are very engaging technology tools
for students and teachers. The ability to take something in reality and put it
into a virtual reality is fascinating. In the module’s readings, virtual reality tools
have capabilities to take children around the world through virtual field trips,
using google expeditions. In the article, 21st Century Students Crave Deeper
Learning by Chris Dede has students simulate and study a virtual pond.
Students are able to take samples, explore underwater life, and take data.
These experiences from virtual reality help students to gain experiences
without having to leave the classroom. “Virtual reality is a supplement to the
lesson, it is not the lesson” according to the article, The Good, The Bad and
the Instructional of VR in the classroom by Heidi Bernasconi. These tools can
support collaboration by sharing projects with other students to view their
creations in the augmented reality. In HP reveal, the free app allows users to
use images pre-loaded and attach an overlay to the image. This
encourages creativity for students to learn in depth about a topic. In the
video, about how to use HP revel a teacher used it as a history lesson.
Students were assigned to make a poster composed of drawings associated
with Theodore Roosevelt. Then, students used the HP reveal to capture
artifacts and video explaining the significance of those images. This enables
students to communicate with peers through video, images, and show what
they learned. This deeper understanding stretches student’s critical thinking
and reaches students in a different way that encourages and supports the
4C’s. I created and downloaded the HP reveal app and viewed the tutorial
videos to explore the tools.
Here are the two virtual images.
1. The first screenshot below shows a picture of a cover page from the novel,
titled “The Tail of Emily Windsnap” by Liz Kessler. The virtual reality overlay
of the girl standing beside the cover can summarize the story in the
student’s words.
2. The second image is an image of a kitty journal that looks like a cartoon in
the background. The charm kitty is the overlay and when scanned you
can view it in the upper corner of the image.
I also explored several MUVE’s and found that these virtual games were
difficult to navigate. I signed up for ecolearn. This is the one that has a virtual
pond and you have the ablity to add characters to study the plant and
animal life in the environment. This one interests me because our school
takes has many environmental based projects across grade levels. I think this
is more appropriate content for students in middle and high school.
Digital Divide
In the module’s video, called The Homework Gap it captured two groups
of students using tools to answer questions. In the first round the student’s
tools consisted of basic tools such as paper and pencil. In small groups
students were able to answer the questions correctly. The next round, a
group was given computers and iPads and the other was given text books.
The group with the digital tools were able to answer questions faster and
correct every time. The other group were not able to answer the question in
the time given. The digital divide in my school consist of students with
technology access at home and school. Students have high speed internet
access and the community support their use of the technology tools. The
community is an affluent population of students. In the district, the digital
divide varies in areas with lower income homes. For student’s in my
classroom to have equitable access, I communicate with parents weekly. I
take time and effort to reach them by phone, email, and newsletters. In the
monthly homework plan we have assignments for students to use technology
to access reading programs at home. I always stress to students that this is
an option to access additional learning resources but not mandatory. I say
this just in case students are not able to use a computer at home. In order to
improve access, the district and school would have to loan computers and
devices to families. Also, students can utilize resources and high -speed
internet in our local school library to gain equitable access.
Resources:
Bernasconi, H. (2017) The Good The Bad the Ugly and the Instructional of VR in
the classroom retrieved from:
https://www.aquilaeducation.com/single-post/2017/05/31/The-Good-the-
Bad-and-the-Instructional-of-VR-in-the-classroom
Dede, C. (2015) 21st Century Students Crave Deeper Learning retrieved from:
https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/06/21st-century-students-
crave-deeper-learning
ECOMUVE video retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=LZ7pAuMOBO4
HP Reveal Augmented Reality Example retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVIuQ0q6jFw
Peer Comment:
Laura,
I also explored many of the MUE’s on the list and trying to find one that was
easy to navigate was challenging. I found that these programs were
targeted for older students. Club Penguin looks interesting and I would like to
explore this one further. I downloaded ECOMUVE because our school
focuses highly on environmental initiatives. Each grade level participates in
ongoing environmental projects throughout the school year. The program
would need to be downloaded in all the laptops for 5th graders to have
access to this virtual pond. This program would highly benefit students
beyond the classroom and engage students in learning about the
environment through virtual experiences.
I like the point that you made about the digital divide in your school. You
mentioned that only certain technology tools are mandatory. In our school,
we also have a similar divide where some teachers use the technology
available and some do not. The technology access is equitable for students
and teachers, but the usage of it various in classrooms. Within the last few
years, our online digital resources with accessing curriculum for teachers and
students in science, math, and social studies are equitable. I think teachers
use it as a tool for enriching instruction. As teachers become more
comfortable and confident using the digital resources would increase
technology usage in the classroom.
http://lorf.weebly.com/itec-7430/virtual-environments-and-the-digital-divide
