Virtual Reality Science 'Books' to Align with NGSS

A company that creates custom virtual reality applications is entering the education space. Currently, VictoryVR is developing virtual reality science books compliant with Next Generation Science Standards. That middle school curriculum will be completed by August 2017. A high school suite is expected before the end of the year. The VR programs work with Oculus Rift and Samsung VR Gear headsets as well as Apple iPhones.

Each VR "book" incorporates virtual field trips, interactive games and learning activities, a "theater" experience, a teacher demo of an experiment and access to online assessments. Each grade will have six books, for a total of 24 books in the library for grades 5 through 8.

Each book covers a unit. For example, "Forces in Motion" covers Newton's laws and his six simple machines, and "Engineering Design" covers the scientific process and the engineering design process.

A three-year license is $5,000, which covers all computers and all students in a school building; the per-building price drops as the number of buildings rises. The fee includes all updates and access to the company's cloud-based administration system, where teachers assign pin codes to students and track their progress.

The technology has been tested at Buffalo Elementary School in Iowa, which has access to three Oculus Rift headsets, computers and the VictoryVR school curriculum, funded by a grant from the Bechtel Trust.

Virtual Reality Science Books to Align with NGSS 

"By experiencing our VR environments, students are actively engaged, captivated and excited to learn," said the company in a prepared statement. "Imagining their futures by experiencing the world outside of their local communities is only a headset away."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • AI toolbox containing a wrench, document icon, gears, and a network symbol

    Common Sense Media Releases Free AI Toolkit, AI Readiness & Implementation Guides

    Common Sense Media has developed an AI Toolkit for School Districts, available to educators free of charge, that provides guidelines and resources for implementing AI in education.

  • elementary school building with children outside, overlaid by a glowing data network and transparent graphs

    Toward a Holistic Approach to Data-Informed Decision-Making in Education

    With increasing access to data and powerful analytic tools, the temptation to reduce educational outcomes to mere numbers is strong. However, educational leadership demands a more holistic and thoughtful approach.

  • three silhouetted education technology leaders with thought bubbles containing AI-related icons

    Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

    In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.