Last year, I received a grant to purchase a star projector for my classroom. For my Earth/Space lesson this year, which reached all 700 students, I used WiFi connected lamps to decrease the light level till the last lamp was shining, then switched it off showing the entire class how the stars had been shining on the ceiling the entire time. Students would spontaneously clap as the stars became visible and talk about their personal experiences looking at the stars. It was great and I want to go bigger, using projected light to remake the interaction students have with the science lab while keeping a hands-on approach for learning.
My hope is for the Immersive Classroom to make my instruction immersive as I share my passion for science and the world around us with students who may not have these opportunities at home. I’d like to be able to give the students a classroom that removes visibility and participation restrictions so that when, for example, my students are creating ocean habitats, the whole room will drop down into different oceanic zones or when we explore rock types, picking a rock will trigger an interaction with the whole room, showing where the rock came from or properties of the rock type. Ultimately, I’d like the lab to incorporate high visibility video and other media, covering the walls, floor and ceiling, interactive with voice and tactile controls from multiple sources, students and teachers, and the results seen by all in the room. The whole room would seem like the inside of a VR headset but with us ALL together on the inside and the teacher as a guide.
About my class
Last year, I received a grant to purchase a star projector for my classroom. For my Earth/Space lesson this year, which reached all 700 students, I used WiFi connected lamps to decrease the light level till the last lamp was shining, then switched it off showing the entire class how the stars had been shining on the ceiling the entire time. Students would spontaneously clap as the stars became visible and talk about their personal experiences looking at the stars. It was great and I want to go bigger, using projected light to remake the interaction students have with the science lab while keeping a hands-on approach for learning.
My hope is for the Immersive Classroom to make my instruction immersive as I share my passion for science and the world around us with students who may not have these opportunities at home. I’d like to be able to give the students a classroom that removes visibility and participation restrictions so that when, for example, my students are creating ocean habitats, the whole room will drop down into different oceanic zones or when we explore rock types, picking a rock will trigger an interaction with the whole room, showing where the rock came from or properties of the rock type. Ultimately, I’d like the lab to incorporate high visibility video and other media, covering the walls, floor and ceiling, interactive with voice and tactile controls from multiple sources, students and teachers, and the results seen by all in the room. The whole room would seem like the inside of a VR headset but with us ALL together on the inside and the teacher as a guide.
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