Imagine your students exploring Georgia's forests as wildland firefighters, walking through Civil Rights Movement landmarks, or investigating agriculture careers, all without leaving your classroom. At the most recent Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC), GPB showcased how augmented and virtual reality can transform learning through immersive experiences that bring Georgia's social studies, STEM, CTAE, and their associated career pathways to life.

Virtual Field Trips Across Georgia

GPB has created more than 40 virtual field trips and walking tours to immerse participants in Georgia's key resources and historic sites. These experiences allow students to:

Each virtual field trip includes standards-aligned content, discussion prompts, and teaching resources that make implementation seamless and effective.

Expanded AR/VR Experiences

We've also relaunched our free AR/VR app with new web builds and expanded content. These updates make immersive learning even more accessible for Georgia classrooms.

Career Exploration Through Virtual Experiences

One idea for integrating immersive learning in the classroom is to pair GPB's career video profiles, such as Wildland Firefighter, with our virtual learning journeys, such as Georgia Forests. Students can:

  • See real professionals in action
  • Explore career pathways in environmental science and conservation
  • Develop information processing skills like establishing point of view and purpose
  • Build literacy skills through listening, inferring, and speaking

Try using the PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting) strategy to help students analyze what they learned and consider different perspectives on careers in natural resource management.

Connecting Career and Technical Education

Virtual experiences aren't just for science and social studies; they're also beneficial for other subjects. Resources like FarmTech Quest support Middle School CTAE standards in Agriculture and Business Management. This simulation addresses AFNR-MSAGED6-7.1 (investigating agriculture careers) and 07.08400 (Foundations of Business Management).

Students can use the "Notice, Like, Wonder" thinking routine to engage with the simulation, building:

  • Research and inquiry skills
  • Comprehension and composition abilities
  • Ability to draw conclusions and formulate research questions

Accessible Technology for All

The beauty of GPB's AR/VR resources is that they are compatible with standard classroom devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones. You don't need specialized equipment to give your students immersive learning experiences. However, if you do have access to VR headsets, our free virtual reality educational resources are also available via Meta Quest.

Experience AR/VR in Your Classroom

Explore GPB's virtual learning experiences at gpb.org/vft and gpb.org/wt. Do you need help integrating these resources into your curriculum? Our Education Outreach Team offers free professional learning sessions tailored to meet the needs of your school or district. Visit gpb.org/pl to request a session.

COMING NEXT in this series! Game On: Building Real-World Skills Through Scholastic Simulations