Tigers go hands-on with virtual reality goggles
Seated clockwise around the table are 7th grader Savannah Hess, 7th grader April Walsh, 8th grader Cora Lister, 8th grader Kyra Waide, and 7th grader Kevin Miller. The students experienced Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello through the use of virtual reality goggles during Paul Elston’s Junior High Social Studies class.
The ability to visualize a concept is arguably one of the most important tools at a student’s disposal. Now, students at Mullan High School (MHS) have been given assistance in that regard in a way that the school has never seen before.
Recently the school was given a handful of virtual reality (VR) goggles, which allow students to view educational videos as if they were experiencing them firsthand.
The VR goggles were graciously provided by Cassidy Hall, who works for the University of Idaho’s Doceo Center in Moscow.
Mrs. Hall and the Doceo Center are committed to assisting Idaho schools with the incorporation of technology into the classroom.
According to FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) teacher Laura Fritz the “expeditions” available to students range from videos of TV production studios to those showing the Great Wall of China.
As of right now, Mrs. Fritz is the only teacher in the district who has been using the goggles, but teachers such as Marie Evans and Paul Elston plan to use them in their science and history classes respectively.
Mrs. Fritz said that she really hopes these other teachers do so because of the fact that “there are expeditions that ‘take you’ to places like Berkley College of Music, The American Museum of Natural History, the settings of Shakespeare’s plays, the beginning of the American Revolution, and so many more that could enhance student learning in other classes such as history, English, and music.”
Just because Mrs. Fritz is the only teacher who is actively using the VR goggles, doesn’t mean that other classes throughout the district aren’t getting a chance to experience them.
“I’ve tried to use them in every class, including the elementary students. I still have to get the Kindergarteners, 2nd Graders, and 5th Graders, but I plan to show them too,” Mrs. Fritz said.
These goggles may seem to be all fun and games, but they are actually quite helpful in teaching material as well, as Mrs. Fritz explained.
“Being able to view things such as TV production studios like those of the David Letterman and Late Show sets was really neat. Seeing all the lights, cameras, and how they set the stage allowed students to see all the work behind the scenes.”
Students seem to love the VR goggles and Mrs. Fritz stated that she’s “had nothing but wonderful feedback from the students.” Seventh grader Alex Cote said that she loved “the feeling of reality you get. It makes it feel like you’re actually in the ocean or in space. It’s really cool!”
With technology always advancing, it’s great to see Mullan keeping up with many of the recent developments. We’re excited to see how the VR goggles are implemented in classes as time goes on.