Community reviews for Google Cardboard

I enjoyed using the tool and I think students will find exercises that use this VR tool both fun and educational. There would be a learning curve to familiarize a class with the tool. I wonder whether a classroom group could use the tool without risk of distractions from student verbal comments during the sessions? The learning would be most likely be the most effective if completed on an individual basis. To move these types of tools forward in education resources or libraries will be needed to provide software use with more traditional lesson activities.

I really like the interactive, engaging nature of technology such as Google Cardboard. The challenges I see in its implementation are not without merit though. First, while the expense of purchasing one unit is not significant, in order to use Google Cardboard in the classroom, there is a substantial financial burden to purchase the headsets and the appropriate technology to use. Secondly, as a very experienced math teacher with expertise crossing multiple grade levels and a vested interest in technology integration, I truly am struggling to see an application for my students. Could I come up with ways that other classroom teachers could use this technology? No doubt. But from my perspective, it doesn't bring much to the table in terms of helping to enhance the math experience for my students. Additionally, while I was impressed with the variety of ways you can use this tool, I did find myself getting slightly nauseous while using the application, even during the introductory tour. I found that every option I tried (YouTube 360, Google Cardboard, Earth, and other apps suggested following the tour) was not able to focus in a way that I saw a clear picture. The result was that I had to take breaks every five minutes. I am not one who typically suffers from motion sickness of any kind, but for some reason, I felt totally off after using this tool. While this may not be the case for all users, teachers should be wary of medical conditions of students in their class that may not be known, prior to investing in this technology. Overall, I think that this technology has a place in the classroom, however, I am not sure that we are at the point yet where I would be comfortable saying that this is a "must have." I did enjoy using Google Cardboard, but the way I currently see it, there are still several challenges that must be considered before this becomes a staple in American classrooms.

As Cardboard is relatively new, chances are good that the instructional applications of this will only get better for classroom use; however, in its current "build," it remains a bit limited in what it can do for learning. It does rely upon a smartphone (and you need to be careful about which size you get as some versions won't fit larger sized phones), and it also requires installation of apps on the device (there are some good free ones available). Those are not necessarily deal-breakers but are considerations worth thinking about when planning to use Cardboard with students. For those relying upon iOS devices, the apps available for Cardboard are more limited on iOS than those for Android. While students can create their own Street View (which is a cool aspect of the Street View app), there is no way to share those files privately or to a shared folder within Google Drive. Having to make something publicly available for others to view could be problematic in terms of student privacy concerns. There are also 360 videos available on YouTube, but for schools or districts where YouTube is blocked, those wouldn't be an option. In addition, there isn't a way currently to only load certain videos for student viewing within the app, and not all of the videos available are appropriate. At this point, there are some worthwhile apps for virtual experiences, but they are few in number and the creative aspects of Cardboard could be enhanced for K-12 users. It is something worth keeping an eye on as it develops more.

This tool will change the way students are taught. They will be able to see and travel to locations they would otherwise have been unable to visit. With the advent of 360 degree video and photography the cardboard and associated app can be used as a classroom aid. This technology keeps the students engaged and excited while providing them with a visual on places they could only have imagined. My students can’t wait to use this technology, and are so focused.