Google conceptualized and made possible the immersive classroom virtual field trip with its Expeditions Kit, which it is now piloting in schools across the country. Nearpod is now offering its own version of virtual field trips for classrooms that unlike Google does not require any specific materials to use.

Nearpod is partnering with 360cities to make the 10 Virtual Field Trips possible, and all that is required for use is an internet-connected device and a Nearpod account.

"Lessons for the field trips 'are based on an academic topic such as ancient Egypt or argumentative writing, and include formative assessments administered through real-time response systems such as polls, quizzes, open-ended questions and more,’ according to a news release,” said THEJournal.com.

"With one click, teachers can easily embed a Virtual Field Trip in their lesson plan and take students instantly to any place across the globe. We believe in the power of Virtual Reality as a way to dramatically improve the educational experience of millions of students and we plan to add many other VR features and content in the future,” said Nearpod CEO Guido Kovalskys in a statement.

The Google program distinguishes itself through its immersive quality provided by 3D cardboard viewing kits; according to OCRegister.com, teachers who piloted the program said its far better than using just a computer alone. 

However, the caveat for the Expeditions Kit is that it is still in the piloting process and Google has not yet released any details on when the kits will be available on the market or for how much.

Read more about the Nearpod virtual field trips here and more tips on using Nearpod in the classroom here. 

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

10/28/2015