Year 6 Virtual Reality (Teacher Notes)
Pupil Activity Code: 2954 - What is it?
Objectives/outcomes
The definition of virtual reality comes, naturally, from the definitions for both ‘virtual’ and ‘reality’. The definition of ‘virtual’ is near and reality is what we experience as human beings. So the term ‘virtual reality’ basically means ‘near-reality’. This could, of course, mean anything but it usually refers to a specific type of reality emulation. People can use virtual reality headsets to see virtual environments in full 360 degrees. This has slowly grown over the last few decades to be used to help with learning, navigation, sport, exploration and more.
Virtual reality has been used for many years but has only recently come into education. As the first video in the Pupil Activity Pack (also below) explains, more and more virtual reality is being used in different industries to help people learn, work, train and explore. The pupils of today will very likely use virtual reality in their job. The skills covered in this activity pack also help develop key computing skills such as graphical and 3D design plus coding elements.
What will you need?
For the activities in the pupil pack (see code above) pupils will need access to the Co-spaces website. It is free for teachers to use the Co-spaces website with a class of pupils but there is an additional cost for extra pupils, premium items and to save multiple environments (Spaces).
You can create a teacher account, then a class which has a code. Pupils could sign up by joining the class with the code, which gives you (as teacher) access to the virtual reality environments. There is a full guide to setting up Co-spaces with your class here. You can add assignments to a class for the pupils to attached their spaces to, this helps with assessment. There are details using assignments here. You could use the assignments to gives details of our Pupil Activity Pack below. When pupils are creating spaces in 'Free Play' then click the 3 dots next to the space's name and 'Give Teacher Access.' This means that, from the teacher login, you can see their spaces by going to 'Manage Users.'
If you are teaching CoSpaces for the second time then you may exceed the number of users allowed with a free account. You can delete previous users (pupils) by logging in as a teacher and going to Users down the left hand side. This shows the number of seats occupied.
Optional
In order for pupils to see the environments in virtual reality, then the pupils will need access to a headset of some kind. This page goes through all the different VR headsets Cospaces is compatible with but one of the cheapest options is Google Cardboard. You could then use a smartphone with the Cospaces Apple or Android app to show pupils their environments. To use this, make sure pupils have given you access to their spaces (see above) and then login into the app, go to the class, then pupil and open their space. Tap on the play icon and put the phone into the Google Cardboard glasses.
Pupil Activity Code: 2954 - What is it?
Objectives/outcomes
- - What virtual reality is and how it can be used to help people.
- Add, move and resize objects in a virtual reality environment
Animate objects for realism.
Use code blocks to add movement (with grouping) and interactions (conditions). - - Create multiple scenes of VR environments
-
The definition of virtual reality comes, naturally, from the definitions for both ‘virtual’ and ‘reality’. The definition of ‘virtual’ is near and reality is what we experience as human beings. So the term ‘virtual reality’ basically means ‘near-reality’. This could, of course, mean anything but it usually refers to a specific type of reality emulation. People can use virtual reality headsets to see virtual environments in full 360 degrees. This has slowly grown over the last few decades to be used to help with learning, navigation, sport, exploration and more.
Virtual reality has been used for many years but has only recently come into education. As the first video in the Pupil Activity Pack (also below) explains, more and more virtual reality is being used in different industries to help people learn, work, train and explore. The pupils of today will very likely use virtual reality in their job. The skills covered in this activity pack also help develop key computing skills such as graphical and 3D design plus coding elements.
What will you need?
For the activities in the pupil pack (see code above) pupils will need access to the Co-spaces website. It is free for teachers to use the Co-spaces website with a class of pupils but there is an additional cost for extra pupils, premium items and to save multiple environments (Spaces).
You can create a teacher account, then a class which has a code. Pupils could sign up by joining the class with the code, which gives you (as teacher) access to the virtual reality environments. There is a full guide to setting up Co-spaces with your class here. You can add assignments to a class for the pupils to attached their spaces to, this helps with assessment. There are details using assignments here. You could use the assignments to gives details of our Pupil Activity Pack below. When pupils are creating spaces in 'Free Play' then click the 3 dots next to the space's name and 'Give Teacher Access.' This means that, from the teacher login, you can see their spaces by going to 'Manage Users.'
If you are teaching CoSpaces for the second time then you may exceed the number of users allowed with a free account. You can delete previous users (pupils) by logging in as a teacher and going to Users down the left hand side. This shows the number of seats occupied.
Optional
In order for pupils to see the environments in virtual reality, then the pupils will need access to a headset of some kind. This page goes through all the different VR headsets Cospaces is compatible with but one of the cheapest options is Google Cardboard. You could then use a smartphone with the Cospaces Apple or Android app to show pupils their environments. To use this, make sure pupils have given you access to their spaces (see above) and then login into the app, go to the class, then pupil and open their space. Tap on the play icon and put the phone into the Google Cardboard glasses.
Augmented Reality
If you have a newer iPads or Android tablets, you can download the Apple or Android app., log in to your teacher account, making sure pupils have shared their space with you (see above) and then find their space in the class and open it. There should be an AR icon in the bottom right corner (if your device is compatible) which then uses the camera to place the VR environment (minus background) into the classroom etc. This is a nice alternative to the VR glasses/headsets. You can find out more about augmented reality using our Augmented Reality Activity Pack.
If you have a newer iPads or Android tablets, you can download the Apple or Android app., log in to your teacher account, making sure pupils have shared their space with you (see above) and then find their space in the class and open it. There should be an AR icon in the bottom right corner (if your device is compatible) which then uses the camera to place the VR environment (minus background) into the classroom etc. This is a nice alternative to the VR glasses/headsets. You can find out more about augmented reality using our Augmented Reality Activity Pack.
Assessment
As mentioned above, pupils can give access to their VR spaces in Co-spaces. This means as a teacher, you can see the pupil's work from your own login. Please use our assessment grid below, which can be adapted to your class.
As mentioned above, pupils can give access to their VR spaces in Co-spaces. This means as a teacher, you can see the pupil's work from your own login. Please use our assessment grid below, which can be adapted to your class.
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Pupil Activities
You may want to watch the videos below together as a class before pupils try the tools and watch the videos from their activity pack (see code above) independently.
You may want to watch the videos below together as a class before pupils try the tools and watch the videos from their activity pack (see code above) independently.