Google Expeditions is a new ‘virtual field-trip’ platform that allows classrooms to explore almost any place. Students peer into a headset made of cardboard (an inserted smartphone acts as the lens) and absorb three-dimensional 360-degree panoramas. Whether it’s the Great Wall of China or the Galápagos Islands, each scene is synchronised to a tablet from which the teacher can orchestrate a guided tour.
Google has already enlisted the Palace of Versailles and the American Museum of Natural History as partners in the programme, which will launch this autumn.
The project follows the roll-out of Google Classroom, an initiative that allows students and teachers to manage schoolwork through a suite of free tools. The platform has been expanded to include features such as mobile notifications, notes from teachers and comments from classmates.
