Students at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School got a first-hand look at the ocean depths of the Galapagos Islands using the tech company's new Expeditions technology
NEWARK - A group of city students took got a first-hand look at the ocean depths below the Galapagos Islands Wednesday morning, no scuba gear required.
The so-called "virtual field trip" came courtesy of Google's new Expeditions app, which creates synchronized virtual school trips to anywhere from the deep sea to the Great Wall of China.
Eighth graders at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School in the city's North Ward were the lucky explorers on Wednesday, strapping the cardboard-lined goggles onto their heads to get a panoramic, 360-degree view of the ocean. Before long, they were spinning in circles and pointing at bull sharks and divers over their heads.
"There's no way we can replicate these experiences without technology," said Joshua Koen, Special Assistant for Technology for Newark schools.
The devices come as part of the tech company's recently launched program Expeditions Pioneer program, which will bring the virtual trips to thousands of schools across the U.S. and other countries around the world.
Despite an ongoing battle with a budget deficit now estimated at about $15 million, Cerf said all schools are still operating with full funding for traditional field trips. The partnership with Google, however, had something of the same effect, with the added benefit of placing cutting edge technology into the hands of students.
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"It's a piece of the puzzle. Its not the entire puzzle, but it enriches," he said.
District officials said the Expeditions program was part of a wider initiative to introduce new digital learning tools into district schools. Teacher leaders have begun attending monthly workshops to learn how to incorporate technology into their classrooms, and a select group of schools such as Horton have been given access to Google Chromebooks and other equipment as part of a "Digital Transformation" pilot program.
Horton Principal Ginamarie Mignon said she believed the Expeditions devices and other tools had the power to unlock an entire new perspective for students.
"A lot of our children don't see outside the city limits. This is getting them to see that there's a whole world beyond that,' she said. "I think it broadens their horizons a little bit."
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.