Try out a virtual school trip with Utility Rentals

It’s no wonder that the virtual school trip is the latest big thing in education.

With so much exciting new classroom technology on the scene, hosting a virtual school trip has never been easier (or, more fun)!

Let’s take a little look at the idea behind virtual school trips, and all the things you need to get started.

So, what exactly is a virtual school trip?

A virtual school trip does exactly what it says on the tin.

By using digital and physical props, you can whisk your students away on a once-in-a-lifetime trip without ever leaving the classroom.

“But, we already go on school trips!” we hear you cry. Well, that’s true, and a virtual school trip won’t ever replace the real thing. However, with virtual school trips, you can:

• Bring subjects to life by booking immersive trips more regularly (without the associated headaches)
• Help parents (and your school) save on school trip fees and endless admin
• Tie in elements of design, manufacturing, developing and programming
• Explore tricky topics using visualisations that are easy to understand
• Visit unreachable locations – from secret spots, to outer space, to famous historical moments

Virtual school trips are a completely different animal from traditional days out, and a concept your school shouldn’t be without. But, what kit will you need to get started?

What classroom technology do I need to host the perfect virtual school trip?

You can organise a virtual school trip using:

Interactive screens

With an interactive screen, you can display immersive, interactive images or videos and accompany them with audio.

You’ll act as the guide, taking students through new worlds based on requests, answers to questions or your own gut instincts.

There are all sorts of educational apps to experiment with, but Google are really hot on this idea right now.

Without paying a penny, you can put your feet on the ground in far-flung destinations or visit famous galleries and museums using Google Street View, Google Earth and other similar services.

Or, you can use the Microsoft Skype system to connect with museum curators, scuba divers and park rangers.

iPads/virtual reality headsets

Similar to interactive screens, the main difference here is that your students can personalise their trip and explore at their leisure.

iPads are a pretty much unbeatable tool for this type of thing. They’ve got all the screen resolution and motion detection capabilities you need.

But, if you’re after something a little different, you could always try Google Expeditions. This special piece of classroom technology gets students up and running with the full VR experience at no great cost.

The teacher just selects a spot using their iPad – say, the heart of a volcano or the Palace of Versailles – and this is immediately beamed to all the students’ cardboard virtual reality viewers.

Students can get a 360° view of their surroundings and pick up key information from annotated points of interest.

3D printers and laser cutters

Taking a slightly different tack, you can turn your classroom into a physical version of the place you’re looking to visit.

Task your students with recreating famous objects, landscapes or skylines digitally. Then, use 3D printers and laser cutters to bring these objects into the real world. Tie in a bit of iterative design, get your students to arrange the room and voilà!

What are you waiting for? Set off on your first virtual school trip today.

Bring learning to life by acquiring new school equipment quickly and conveniently with Utility Rentals.