Google Expeditions Soon Hits UK Schools; Google Daydream View's Kid-Friendly Version Boon Or Bane?

Google Expeditions will be coming its way to hundreds of schools in the United Kingdom, in hopes of bringing better learning experience for students. The tech giant's kid-friendly take on virtual reality goggles will be available for trial, yet some education critics are concerned with its introduction, calling it an "educational cocaine."

Daily Mail reports that Google's scholastic initiative puts traditional education in peril. With the introduction of kid version virtual reality gears, critics fear that children might not be utilizing books as often as before. Speaking with the publication, Centre of Education and Employment Research director of Buckingham University, Prof. Alan Smithers said that Google Expeditions is just a marketing ploy pulled by its creator.

With 50 new expeditions, bring even more adventures to your classroom with #VR field trips https://t.co/tRsRuyDUse #GoogleExpeditions pic.twitter.com/7tNRHp8KCc

— Google For Education (@GoogleForEdu) December 1, 2016

Children are feared to be to be lured with the unique three-dimensional experience offered by the kid-friendly version. Eventually, they might pester their parents for the tech company's top-of-the-line version of its virtual reality platforms, Google Daydream View.

The professor added that what might be more alarming is when Google seals a deal from schools, or with a bigger client, no less than the British government. "Although superficially attractive as a teaching device, they cannot replace the hard graft of actually getting the children to learn subjects," Prof. Smithers explained.

Even though the Buckingham University professor criticized against Google Expeditions, one research has backed the efficacy of introducing digital platforms for educational use. A new research data shows that teachers and students have a positive view regarding the use of digital tools in the classroom, a report from Cnet says.

A great example of connecting coursework and fieldtrips with #GoogleExpeditions: Environmental Change in Borneo https://t.co/98RIjqGr6R — Google For Education (@GoogleForEdu) November 30, 2016

The research done by an online learning site, Quizlet, found out that, on one hand, students learned better through the use of digital devices. Teachers, on the other, became more enthusiastic in instructing. They also think that learning is more fun through the use of devices and apps.

Google Expeditions claims to bring lessons into real life, as stated in their official website. The virtual reality goggles offer a three-dimensional view of any place an individual wants, saying that field trips anywhere can now be done virtually through the device.

The kid-version of Google Daydream View is made up of cardboard masks with a slot for a smartphone, and it costs around $19. Meanwhile, Google Daydream View, comes with a $79 price tag.

The tech company is slated to visit several British towns like London, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Belfast, Inverness and Cardiff. Through this initiative, it is estimated that a million students will get a taste of the low-cost educational tool created by the tech behemoth.