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Tools of the Trade

Limitless learning

Wouldn’t a spacewalk on Mars or a view from inside the human body take your science lessons to new heights? With virtual reality (VR), the possibilities are endless in all subject matter. So why not explore way beyond the classroom walls and watch students’ curiosity and engagement take flight?

By Melissa Campeau

  1. Google Expeditions Free!

    What if students could shadow a veterinary surgeon? Or take a quick field trip to the Great Barrier Reef? Find these and hundreds of other extraordinary immersive adventures on this site, then visit Google for Education (oct-oeeo.ca/EduGoogle) to post and download VR lesson plans, and even ask questions.
    VISIT: oct-oeeo.ca/GoogleExpeditions
    VIEW ON: Google Cardboard (recommended)

  2. Sesqui Meridian VR Free!

    Revel in six short VR films telling uniquely Canadian stories. Go on an arts and geography expedition in Horizon: A 360° Journey, meet Polarman , Iqaluit’s benevolent anti-bullying crusader or watch a dance-based throw down between hip-hop and powwow dancers in A Tribe Called Red: Indian City 360º.
    VISIT: oct-oeeo.ca/Sesqui
    VIEW ON: Most VR headsets

  3. NYT VR Free!

    Capture curiosity and build empathy with these in-depth VR docs. For instance, experience a day in the life of a refugee child, discover the secret language of dolphins and whales, or explore the precarious Antarctic ice sheet. Stories by New York Times journalists are the basis for these 360-degree videos
    VISIT: oct-oeeo.ca/NYTVR
    VIEW ON: Most VR headsets

  4. ThingLink Free to $46 per year

    Students can craft their own VR experiences by using the site’s 360-degree images (or uploading their own), then layering in text, audio, video and links. Low on time? ThingLink’s ready-to-go 360-degree images with embedded content covers topics ranging from trade winds to allowing chocolate milk in schools.
    VISIT: thinglink.com/edu
    VIEW ON: Most VR headsets

  5. Unimersiv US$49 per headset!

    VR + wildly realistic animation = a giddy spectrum of opportunity. Take your students to Ancient Rome? Sure! How about heading to the International Space Station or deep inside the human brain? Why not! Choose from nine mind-blowing experiences for a field trip your students will not soon forget.
    VISIT: unimersiv.com
    VIEW ON: Most VR headsets

  6. Google Tilt Brush $22.99

    Imagine students sketching a 3D house, then walking around in it or using the tool’s “paint brush” to design a costume for the school play. Just think of how it could inspire visual learners if they “paint” a chemical reaction or map out — and stand in — a battle scene from the Second World War.
    VISIT: tiltbrush.com
    VIEW ON: Oculus, Vive

Start Exploring

No headset? No problem. Watch VR content on your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Without the headset, it is considered 360-degree content (not virtual reality).

Shoestring budget? Try Google Cardboard ($20) or one of the knock-offs or DIY models available online ($3.50+) for affordable VR. One smartphone per headset required.

Ready to be amazed? Download the VR content app of your choice onto your device (if using a headset), or visit the applicable website to view 360-degree video.