Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/912628
heart and blood flowing through arteries that can't be viewed in dissected subjects. Another technology, augmented reality (AR), brings virtual objects into the real world. AR lets students get up close to view a meteorite or a strand of DNA, for instance, which appears amid the real desks and students in the classroom. ese technologies increase comprehension of things that may be difficult to explain. For example, they can help students grasp how electrical current flows when they switch on a light. For students with special needs, VR and AR can provide oppor- tunities they may otherwise not experience, such as diving into the ocean or climbing a mountain. While they won't replace field trips or lab experiments, VR and AR can be a great supplement for educators and have lim- itless potential. A 2016 study released by Samsung Electronics America finds that only 2 percent of teachers have used VR . But that may change as it becomes more accessible through Google and other companies. Howland believes that as the Next Generation Science Standards are fully implemented — and software com- panies align their products to match the new standards — VR may become commonplace. "e future is here," she smiles. Companies offer educational VR Google's VR system, dubbed "Cardboard," is easy for teachers to utilize. It's part of Google's Expeditions Pioneer Program, which offers virtual journeys to more than 100 destinations, accompanied by educational content developed in partnership with organizations like PBS, the American Museum of Natural History, the Planetary Society, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Expeditions kits ( for 10, 20 or 30 students) include Card- board viewers and Android phones for students and teacher, a teacher-operated tablet, and preinstalled software that keeps viewers synced together. You can buy a kit or build your own, to use along with an app from the App Store or Google Play. Santa Rita Elementary STEM teacher Kelly Rafferty shows students how to work the special glasses and stylus. Shasta Meadows Elementary STEM coach Mark Lewin with the Google Cardboard setup. " [THIS] TECHNOLOGY MAKES SCIENCE COME TO LIFE IN THE CLASSROOM. IT HELPS STUDENTS STAY FOCUSED AND GIVES A SENSE OF PLAY — AND PURPOSE — TO WHAT THEY ARE DOING." —KELLY RAFFERTY, LOS ALTOS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION 36 cta.org