ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Middle school students Olivia King, left, and Nicole Kadourov enjoy the Google Expeditions Pioneer Program.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
SWAMPSCOTT — Students at Swampscott Middle School joined the Google Expeditions Pioneer Program on Wednesday, when they tested equipment that took them on a virtual reality tour of Egypt.
Along with a Google representative, assisting students was Natalie Paine, a computer teacher, two sixth grade social studies teachers, Gary Moran and Lisa Rapisarda, and Abby Rogers, a library/media specialist.
Rapisarda said Expeditions is a pilot program that Google is “trying to roll out.”
“We’re the test group,” Rapisarda said.
Rapisarda said her classes are studying Egypt right now. While looking through the Google Cardboard, which resembles binoculars, she said her students are able to see what they are currently studying.
“They walk away with a lasting impression and feel like they were there,” Rapisarda said.
Paine said she saw the opportunity to sign up online with Expeditions about two months ago. She said she heard back recently and was given two days to get back to them and be a part of it.
“It all came together really quickly,” Paine said.
Paine said Expeditions is an app that has not yet been published by Google. Last year, she said only 100 schools participated in three countries. She said the sixth-graders were chosen to participate because their schedule worked out the best. She said the program is a nice way of introducing or culminating a lesson.
“It lets students feel they are in the place they are learning about,” Paine said.
While students are looking through the Google Cardboard, a teacher has a tablet to use. Paine said teachers can swipe on the tablet and point out areas of interest for students. She said the Expedition program is built for teachers, who can control what the students are seeing.
Last week, Rogers said Google reached out to Paine and said they were going to be in the area, and asked if she would like a free demonstration of the program. She said the virtual tour provides a special experience for students, rather than sticking to only reading textbooks and articles.
“Many students may never have a chance to travel to those places,” Rogers said.
Patrick Lenihan, a Google spokesperson, said for the Pioneer Program, teachers are given Google Cardboards and a kit, that comes with a tablet and phone. He said the teacher would be holding the tablet and is able to direct what the students are seeing on the cardboard. He said students are able to look through the cardboard and get a 3D, 360-degree panoramic view, which is like “they’re standing there in real life.”
Lenihan said Google started testing the program in September 2015 and is currently in eight countries and has had 500,000 students participate. He said the company is focused on making the best possible product right now and doesn’t have a timeline for when Expeditions will be launched to the public.
“We’ve enjoyed bringing this to schools and watching kids enjoy it,” Lenihan said.
Anastasia Shub, 11, was one of those students excited about using the cardboard.
“You can actually see things,” Shub said. “You feel like you’re actually looking at real pyramids.”
Shub said she could turn around and get a 360-degree view of everything. She said it was “really cool” how she is shown where to turn around to different areas.
Nicole Kadourov, 11, said “you can actually see what the real things look like.”
She added, “It brings it all to life.”
Lenihan said new expeditions continue to be added every day to the program, including trips to Mars, the Grand Canyon and Buckingham Palace.
Besides exploring Egypt, students at the middle school were also taken underwater.
“It’s just like a really amazing experience and a phenomenal application,” Lenihan said.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @Gayla Cawley.
