Virtual reality (VR) has enormous potential for education. The typically boring and static environment of the traditional classroom can be transformed with the proper application of VR, taking students closer to the source material, and outside of the classroom completely with fascinating digital field trips.
Now, Lenovo have announced that their Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream, the world’s first standalone Daydream VR head-mounted display (HMD), will be used in Lenovo’s new Virtual Reality Classroom. Lenovo’s goal here is to give teachers the tools they need to provide a robust and content-rich learning experience.
Lenovo’s concern for a good, reliable teaching experience is clear. The HMDs come with a 110 degree field of view, motion tracking, and even Daydream wireless controllers that come equipped with can be easily cleaned with alcohol wipes.
The HMDs can be controlled and directed by a Lenovo Tab 4 PLUS tablet, allowing a teacher to take full control of the subjects students are viewing, to ensure a shared experience is had throughout the classroom.
Educators willing to adapt to the new technology will have an 18 month warranty to ensure everything works correctly throughout and all devices are in good working order. Teachers will also get monthly webinars to highlight concerns, share experiences and talk about best practices.
The kinds of content you can expect to see in Lenovo’s VR Classroom include Jane Goodall Wild Immersion, and Google Expeditions VR field trips. With more than 700 trips included in Google Expeditions already, and Wild Immersion taking students to Africa, Asia and the Amazon, there’s already so much for students to experience, and Lenovo promise more in the future. Of course, the Daydream app store has hundreds of apps for teachers to choose from, too.
The VR Classroom has tested and customised content from Scholastic, so educators can feel comfortable investing in the new technology, if they have the money. For more information on the kinds of content available, pricing and more, check out Lenovo’s blog. The future of education is incredibly bright with VR involved, and we hope to see more VR content enhancing education in the near future. When it happens, you’ll read about it first on VRFocus.