On March 1, students in Ashleigh Ferguson’s Project Possible classes at Broadalbin-Perth Intermediate School traveled farther than any human ever has — but they never left the classroom. Instead, they used virtual reality technology to stand on the surface of Mars and take a look around the International Space Station.
The students are learning about Mars and space as part of a long-term project, at the end of which students will design habitats for use by humans on Mars. Thursday’s virtual field trip was one of the first steps of the project.
When the students raised the ViewMaster virtual reality goggles to their faces for the first time, exclamations of awe and excitement filled the classroom. The students quickly learned how to swivel in their chairs to look around the scene they were in while Mrs. Ferguson read a description of what they were seeing. Students also explored the International Space Station using the VR technology.
Earlier this year, other classes have taken virtual field trips to Machu Pichu, the Amazon River and rainforest, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. B-P technology teacher Allison Renda has been working with teachers to help them incorporate technology, including virtual reality, into their lessons to enhance student learning. Many of the virtual reality field trips are available through Google Expeditions, a teaching tool designed to give students immersive, virtual experiences.