VR: Creating Custom Google Expeditions using Google Tour Creator

Written by humanimprint@hotmail.com in VIRTUAL REALITY on May 31, 2018

Big news! Google just opened up Google Tour Creator, a site that allows users to create custom virtual tours. This will be of great interest to those who don’t want to be limited to Google Expedition’s pre-made tours. Check out the one I made for the AP Human Geography Reading in Cincinnati, Ohio HERE. You can keep reading about how I made it below.

I found this out upon hearing the news that Google Expeditions is now open for personal use without the need of a teacher as a “guide.” I immediately opened the iPad app and flipped through the available AR and VR tours currently available. I downloaded any and all of the social studies related Augmented Reality models that were available, my favorites including Da Vinci’s inventions, Frida Kahlo’s paintings, and the history of printing.

But first, I need to check out the topography of Africa on my floor.

Basically, the teacher needs to print out a set of QR-looking “hotspots” and set them on the floor or table.

When you open the AR stories, there is a little cube-like icon that allows you to point your Expedition app at the QR-code and the 3D model comes to life.

Of course you are currently limited to viewing AR stories that are created by Google, a university, or a textbook company, but as time goes on and people become more comfortable with Google’s 3D Warehouse, it is a matter of time until they allow individuals to make their own AR stories-just like they are allowing with VR and Google Tours.

The VR expeditions are a different beast. These are virtual tours that highlight a handful of locations. What is neat is that they already come with narratives, key points of interest, and even key questions and answers that teachers can use to help guide students through one of the expeditions. If teachers want to use the Expeditions app in class, students should get Google Expeditions loaded onto their phones and be on the same Wifi as the teacher.

The teacher and student must have the same tours downloaded (a relatively quick process), and the students must then choose to “join an expedition.” Tell them to join the one you just had them download. Once they join in, you will begin to see explorers populate on your iPad (assuming that you are the Guide of the Expedition).

As a guide, you can now swipe through different scenes, bringing up the narrative to read, and clicking on key points of interest for the students to look at. Below is what your iPad screen will look like as a guide who is ready to tour students.

Below is what the students will see in explorer mode before they click to join your tour.

As students join, they will be halted at the beginning of the expedition to await the guide’s next move. This is when students can throw their phones into Google Cardboards to view in VR mode.

Below is what a VR Expedition looks like on the teacher’s iPad as they are touching through the points of interest.

As a guide, you can see where students are “looking” when in the expedition, as there are little smiley faces that bounce around. You can see that in the above picture. Students will know where to look because once the teacher clicks a point of interest while in Guide mode, an arrow will appear on the students screen for them to turn and look.

Google Expedition’s help website says that later this year, the general public will be able to upload their own expeditions that they created using Google Tour Creator. This will be a game changer because teachers will be allowed to tailor the expeditions to their lesson plan and not be limited to what is already pre-made by a third party.

I took the time to mess around in Google Tour Creator and customize some key points of interest for the AP Human Geography Reading in Cincinnati. You can view it here.

Google Tour Creator’s interface is insanely easy to use. Simply click on “New Tour” to get started.Make a new tour in Google Creator!

Tour Creator will then walk you through the basic stuff, i.e. Title, Description, and adding a cover image.

Next, add “scenes” by using a built-in Google Maps search. Once you’ve added a description and given any credits, you can add a “point of interest” and drag the information icon anywhere on the 3D bubble you want people to view it. Add a description to tell your viewers what they are looking at and add a photo if it assists your project.

Double-check for spelling errors and hit the publish button! Your virtual tour is now ready for people to explore once they receive your shared link. Unfortunately, you are not currently able to view these in Google Expeditions for 3D goggle use, but once again, they say this feature will be rolled out further into 2018.

Remember, even if you don’t have VR glasses or an expensive system for students, at minimum, students can use their cell phones to load up your tour from a link. VR View in Safari Browser (iPhone)It will simply open in a website browser for them to view. The VR is compromised at the moment, but at least they can flick the screen left and right to view your selected sites and points of interest you’ve made.

So, go ahead and check out the one that I made for the AP Human Geography Reading in Cincinnati, Ohio. Note that I do make an effort to point out some of my favorite biergartens, so this is not a tour for those under the age of 21. Actually I think Ohio is one of those, “you’re allowed to drink in your home, if under 21, and with a family member of age,” states. But you can use your best discretion.

See you all soon!