Google Expeditions Takes Students on VR Tours of Great Barrier Reef, Buckingham Palace -- THE Journal

21st Century Learning

Google Expeditions Takes Students on VR Tours of Great Barrier Reef, Buckingham Palace

By David Nagel
01/20/16

Google has added two new virtual reality tours to its Google Expeditions Pioneer Program, a VR platform designed specifically for classroom use and available free for schools.

The two new programs include tours of Buckingham Palace and the Great Barrier Reef. The GBR program was developed by David Attenborough and Alchemy VR, which provides a 360-degree tour of the reef and the marine life it supports. For the Buckingham Palace Expedition, Google has also released a YouTube 3D video that's accessible to the public (seen below). When viewing on a mobile phone, the user can change the point of view of the video fluidly in 360 degrees simply by moving the device around. Settings also allow for stereoscopic 3D for a more immersive experience.

To date, according to Google, some 500,000 students have participated in virtual journeys since the program's launch in September.

As part of the program, Google is sending teams to schools throughout the world, providing all of the tools needed to participate in expeditions. Google has also released a beta version of the Expeditions app and is seeking educators to test it.

Signups for both the app and the in-person tours are open to educators now on Google's Expeditions site.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .

E-Mail this page

Printable Format

Featured

Copilot Updates Aim to Personalize AI

Microsoft has introduced a range of updates to its Copilot platform, marking a new phase in its effort to deliver what it calls a "true AI companion" that adapts to individual users' needs, preferences and routines.
Stanford 2025 AI Index Reports Surge in Adoption, Investment, and Global Impact as Trust and Regulation Lag Behind

Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) has released its eighth annual AI Index Report, measuring AI's diverse impacts over the past year.
New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.
Report: Enterprises Are Embracing Agentic AI

According to a new report from SnapLogic, 50% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents, and another 32% plan to do so within the next 12 months..