Andrew Vanden Heuvel, an online physics teacher, is one of just a few thousand people so far to try Google's new wearable computer, Google Glass. Using the prototype, he took a South Christian High School class on a virtual trip to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland. Vanden Heuvel also teaches courses for Calvin College and Grand Rapids Community College. GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Google's wearable computer, Google Glass, isn't widely available for purchase yet, but the tech world is buzzing and a West Michigan online physics teacher is one of a lucky few to try out the futuristic frames.
The $1,500 device has a camera and microphone built into glasses that access data from portable devices such as phones, tablets and computers.
Andrew Vanden Heuvel, who teaches for Michigan Virtual School, Calvin College and Grand Rapids Community College, said his journey to Geneva, Switzerland, began after a call from Google.
“Would you be willing to bring Google Glass to CERN and visit the Large Hadron Collider?” he was asked.
Vanden Heuvel had entered Google's social media contest asking Twitter and Google users what they would do if they had Google Glass and became one of 8,000 Google Glass Explorers.
The Grand Haven resident visited CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, and got to teach from inside the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) on its complex, the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator.
Last week, Google released the video of Andrew Vanden Heuvel, using Google Glass to take South Christian High School students on a virtual field trip inside the Swiss facility. The video has received more than 350,000 views. He is the first educator to teach and field questions from inside the LHC tunnel, which is very restricted.
"To actually go there and see the Large Hadron Collider was pretty amazing," said Vanden Heuvel, who had early aspirations of being an astronaut. "It is the most complicated machine ever made."
"As a teacher, to me, engagement is probably the primary thing with Google Glass because the potential for using it as a learning tool is extraordinary."
He said he already has begun making shorter video clips about science and math for YouTube on stembite.com.
Vanden Heuvel, 30, was named the Michigan Online Teacher of the Year in 2011. He develops online courses as well as teaches them.
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Vanden Heuvel, who has a has a bachelor's degree in physics and math from Calvin and a master's in astronomy from the University of Florida, said he and his wife and two kids were in Switzerland for 10 days, returning May 7.
He said wanted to connect with with more students but ended up using the South Christian High students from his brother Ryan's class in the video.
He wrote about his adventure on his blog, from submitting a 15-second video to enter the contest to what he learned from this experience. Here are a few thoughts:
• Put yourself out there. Had I not applied to be a Glass Explorer, I never would have been invited to such a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Human ingenuity is awe-inspiring. During this adventure, I directly experienced two impressive technological achievements (although at very different scales). Both the Large Hadron Collider and Google Glass were made by teams of scientists and engineers working to achieve a seemingly-impossible goal. The human mind’s capacity for creativity is truly worthy of awe.
• It’s not about the technology. As an online teacher, I frequently say, “It’s not about the technology, but what you can do with it.” We have now reached an inflection point in the evolution of technology where each new advance means we see technology less and can do more with it. What a tremendously exciting time to be in education!
Monica Scott is the Grand Rapids K-12 education writer. Email her at mscott2@mlive.comand follow her on Twitter @GRPScotty or on Facebook.
