7 minute read
Taking real steps into the virtual Metaverse
Following the exploration of the Metaverse in our April issue, Iain Cook-Bonney got in touch and told us about how schools in the O ta-kou STEAM cluster are using Virtual Reality (VR) environments. From the future of Dunedin to a mission to Mars, he explains some of the amazing learning they’re doing in this brave new virtual world.
Our journey into the Metaverse started in 2020 when we all began to embrace remote learning due to lockdowns. The O ta -kou STEAM cluster of schools on the Otago Peninsula had already been using Zoom as part of its Innovative Learning project with the Otago Community Trust. With nine schools strung out along 18km of the peninsula, we wanted to connect learners and share expertise, and Zoom was the best option at that time to achieve this.
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We also introduced the cluster to the CoSpaces Edu platform (cospaces.io/ edu/), which enables users to create their own Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) experiences. Students build worlds using the included models or they can import their models, images, audio and video to create unique experiences. They can then use code to create a genuinely animated and interactive experience. It’s a top-rated tool and we love it because we can teach both Digital Technologies strands, as well.
Prototyping and testing
Several of our schools then purchased Oculus (now Meta) VR headsets to go to the next level. We found that only two or three headsets were required to make a significant difference. Rather than using them to experience 360 videos and other premade content, these devices are used as part of the design thinking process. During the prototyping and testing phase, students can quickly immerse themselves in their created worlds and see if they are working as intended. Is that chair too big? Can I walk around the space easily? Do I know what I am meant to do in this space? Viewing the VR world in this manner is very different from looking at it on a flat screen and it’s very gratifying as a teacher to see those ‘aha’ moments students have as they work through this process. It only takes five minutes for a student to get a headset, enter their space and test before handing it on to the next to use. Students also use the headsets to create their models. Wearing a headset, they can paint their models or form them out of digital clay, using tools such as TiltBrush and Gravity Sketch. These models can then be imported into their projects.
Gravity Sketch (gravitysketch.com) is an intuitive and immersive 3D design platform. It can be used to design, create, collaborate on and review 3D objects in virtual reality.
Tilt Brush (tiltbrush.com) is a room-scale 3D-painting virtual-reality app from Google. It lets users paint in virtual 3D space with threedimensional brush strokes, stars, light, and even fire.
Digital exhibition
The next step into the metaverse came when we needed to find a way to share our students’ work. Each year we have a large project-based learning unit that culminates in a public exhibition. Our first was in 2020, in which we partnered with the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Polytechnic to explore the future of the city, ‘Dunedin 2040’. We had hundreds of projects created by students, both digital and physical, and no guarantee we would be able to display them to the public due to lockdown restrictions. So, we had to look for a digital alternative, just in case. Luckily, we had a very successful public exhibition at the Otago Polytechnic, but it also showed us that having a digital exhibition was extremely valuable for parents who could not make it to the exhibition, for those out of town or overseas to showcase our mahi to the world. We have since presented these spaces at international conferences.
CREATING IN COSPACES EDU
Mirror physical space
What did we use for our digital exhibition? We had already been exploring tools to move beyond Zoom for remote teaching. Lockdown had taught us about maintaining engagement and Zoom fatigue. Several tools allowed virtual meetings in VR spaces, however, a lot of these required dedicated apps and devices.
Enter FrameVR (framevr.io), an emerging, web-based tool that could be used on practically any device. We could create our exhibition using FrameVR and have a space that mirrored our physical space and allowed it to function in the same way. Users could access the exhibition via a simple link and then walk around the space viewing the exhibits. They could talk and chat with each other to make it a genuinely immersive communal experience. It was immensely popular and we still get global visitors to our exhibitions every day. Here are the links to our past two exhibitions if you would like to visit: Dunedin 2040: framevr.io/dn2040 Mission to Mars: framevr.io/otakousteam
Everyday society
What have we learned so far about the Metaverse? We see it as a tool that will become part of everyday society. Just as we teach students how to navigate the flat online world of the internet, we also need to bring those same digital citizenship skills to immersive virtual worlds. Our world may never entirely be the same as it was before Covid. Tools that let us connect and bring people together, no matter where they are, in ways that let them be as usual, empathetic and human as possible will be critical to our future.
Practically, we have learned a few lessons as well. We have had challenges and setbacks, with a couple of funny moments.
The first piece of advice we have is to learn your tools. We had to learn how to use FrameVR purposefully, learning how we would use it and which settings to use. The developers of this tool are very responsive, and we have been able to work with them to enhance the tool and learn how to get the most out of it. We quickly learned that turning the microphone off by default was wise after hearing a teacher telling her class off during one of our exhibition days. Nothing too embarrassing but everyone else had a smile on their face! Our second advice is that you do not need fancy equipment to enter the Metaverse. There are several web-based tools available that will work with PCs, Chromebooks, tablets and phones, and dedicated apps for PCs.
Easier to use
Third, if you are looking at buying VR headsets, you can spend a lot of money. We use GroveXR (grove.us), a management tool for Oculus and Pico headsets. This lets us view what the user is doing and send the content directly to headsets and lock them into experiences. It’s free for up to three devices and makes using these devices in the classroom so much easier.
This brings us to the last point. We found that we did not want an entire class with headsets on. There was no need for 30 devices. We saw the headsets as part of the testing and creating toolkit. While other students could be creating using other devices, some may test their creations or build using the headsets. Depending on the headset you are using, you may need at least 2m2 to use it, so having three made it work better in the classroom.
ON A MISSION: JOURNEYING TO MARS
GUARDIANS: HE KAITIAKI TA TOU
Engaging and exciting
Looking ahead, we are currently running our ‘He Kaitiaki Ta -tou’ project (bit.ly/ kaitiakioverview) and will again use FrameVR for our virtual exhibition. Several schools have started using Frame as part of their remote teaching toolkit, as it has all the Zoom features but in a collaborative 3D space. We have also been working with a US-based company to build an educational Metaverse platform for students. We get to collaborate on ideas, test and give feedback to help shape it into an engaging and purposeful learning tool. We will be running an alpha test with a class next term. Exciting stuff! Schools are welcome to use any of the resources on our project pages; you can even join this year’s project! We love what we’re doing and want to support anyone who is on the same journey or looking at getting started. Iain Cook-Bonney is the facilitator for the O ta -kou STEAM cluster. For further information contact
