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American International School of Guangzhou

Located in Guangdong province, China, the American International School of Guangzhou (AISG) exemplifies innovation in education, with a particular focus on integrating cutting-edge technology into the learning environment. Recognised for its forward-thinking approach, the school is committed to enhancing creativity, engagement and experiential learning opportunities for students.

In this spirit, ASIG adopted ClassVR in 2021, combining it with CoSpaces to create immersive educational experiences that transcend traditional teaching methods. Jordan Smigelsky, the Elementary Innovation & Technology Coach, has been instrumental in this transformation, leveraging his expertise in technology and STEAM education to embed Virtual Reality (VR) into the classroom.

Why Virtual Reality and ClassVR?

AISG’s journey into VR began with a clear vision: empowering students to design, interact with and experience their own virtual creations. ClassVR was chosen for its ability to provide a complete learning loop – from creation to consumption.

Jordan highlighted the unique advantages of ClassVR stating, “The main reason we invested in ClassVR was because it gives you the ability to actively view what you've created. Connecting the headsets to something like CoSpaces just amplifies the ways that we can use ClassVR in the classroom.”

The ability to bridge VR with coding and other STEM concepts proved to be a significant advantage. “They code the environment, create the environments, and then they consume what they've made in the headset. I thought that was just a really good, almost full design cycle,” Jordan shared.

By combining CoSpaces with ClassVR, students can code and design virtual worlds, which are then fully experienced via the ClassVR headsets. Students were not merely passive consumers but active creators developing their technical and creative skills simultaneously.

“Connecting the headsets to something like CoSpaces just amplifies the ways that we can use ClassVR in the classroom.”

VR in Action at AISG

AISG utilises ClassVR in diverse & purposeful ways, tailoring its application to meet the learning goals of different grade levels. In Grade 1, for example, AISG creates playlists of VR videos and images that align with the students’ unit topics. One recent lesson focused on animals, where students explored scenes on a rotating station basis. “They will have 10 minutes with ClassVR looking at some videos and pictures from the library. Then they go back to their seats to draw or comment on what they observed,” he explained, adding that VR provides an especially captivating experience for younger students.

Grade 5 students took VR integration a step further. For their exhibition projects, students used CoSpaces to design virtual experiences, which they showcased to parents via the ClassVR headsets. This autonomy over their projects allowed students to see their creations in a 3D immersive format, which helped them take ownership and solidify understanding of their work. Jordan noted, “That was a very cool little…specific use case. The parents got to try them on and view what they made for their exhibition in the VR headsets.”

Impact on Student Engagement and Learning

The introduction of ClassVR has noticeably enhanced student engagement and excitement. The immersive nature of VR captivates the younger students, but beyond the initial excitement of VR, its immersive nature fosters deeper cognitive engagement.

As Jordan observed, students often review their creations in VR and make updates, leading to continuous improvement. “They can reflect on what they have created, like, ‘Oh, I should have done this,’ and they go back to update it,” he explained.

This iterative process cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

By enabling students to create their own VR experiences AISG, has sparked a deeper interest in technology and design, Jordan emphasised. “Getting a student to create something they can view in the headset is more valuable and probably piques their interest a bit more as well.”

This hands-on, creative engagement helps students see technology as a tool for expression and innovation.

“Getting a student to create something they can view in the headset is more valuable and probably piques their interest a bit more as well.”

Key Benefits of ClassVR at AISG

Jordan reflects that ClassVR has become a “sought-out technology” by both students and teachers. When used effectively by instructors familiar with VR, it serves as a unique and dynamic educational tool. The variety of applications, from interactive animal scenes in lower grades to complex project exhibitions in higher grades, demonstrates ClassVR’s versatility and value.

Jordan summarised the school’s sentiment of ClassVR by saying, “It adds value…especially in specific units, and it’s a huge plus for a school to have that.” Looking forward, he is optimistic about VR becoming an increasingly integral part of education, particularly as VR technology becomes more accessible.

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What would you like to see next in our ClassVR content and resources repository?

We love to hear feedback from schools all over the world, so if you have any suggestions of resources you would like to use or lessons you want to teach, just drop our Educational Services team an email at: community@classvr.com