Duncan board of education takes VR field trip

Horace Mann Elementary showed off new tech the school received, thanks to a grant from Google Expedition, which, through the use of Virtual Reality, can take classrooms around the world.Kelsey Roberts, a fourth-grade teacher, got up first.“We, Horace Mann, applied for the K20 grant ... I’m going to let Vicki give you specifics. “Vicki Nighswonger, Horace Mann principal, told more about the Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust grant.“We were awarded a $65,000 grant — $40,000 of that is technology, $25,000 of that is professional development,” Nighswonger said. “I think what honestly scored us the grant was telling them that we could eventually get that technology. That $40,000 is huge and we could get there, but what is really invaluable to us is that $25,000 professional development. It’s been pretty awesome.”Horace Mann Elementary students handed out VR headsets to the board members and some meeting attendees. “What we did with that grant is purchase Google Expedition,” Roberts said. “I am going to give you the little rundown that I give my class. No. 1: two hands on the VR at all times; No.2: bottoms stay in chairs. We don’t want you to stand up and trip on somebody.”As the program booted up, Roberts said, “I teach science and social studies, and we were going over the Northeast region, and there is some really interesting things out there. I want to take you to the Statue of Liberty,” she said. “What’s really great about Google Expedition, even if you don’t know much about it (topic/place), is that it gives you prompts as a teacher and exposes students and teachers to places and things that I might never get to see.”