In this post, I will be reflecting on my experience of VR (virtual reality) and the story “The Wolves In The Walls.” By Neil Gaiman. If you want to see my previous experience with VR and the SD5 design lab, please read my other blog post that you can find –> here <–
We spent one class going through the wolves in the walls story and experiencing the VR version of the story so we could help guide students through it. I attached the trailer for the oculus VR version below.
Personal Experience:
I was very thankful we got to go through it first so I could help students who had questions of what to do next. It was a very immersive activity and was very cool that someone could be watching on an iPad what I was going through in VR.
This photo was taken by our instructor and depicts me going through VR while my EKTEP peer watches on the iPad.
Classroom Experience:
Book:
After our lesson, we went into a grade 5/6 class to try it with. We broke the book up into 5 sections and had 5 readers spread out around the school to keep engagement levels up. Because there were 5 sections, the class split up into 5 groups. While other groups were listening to the story, we had worksheets about the story and vocabulary words/sheets to do while they waited. I was in the room setting up the VR headsets/boundaries and helping students with the worksheets.
VR:
Once the student groups completed the book, they came back into the class and started up with the VR version. We sized the headsets to fit each student and guided them through the story. If they were ever stuck, we were able to see what they could through the iPad. (This was where I was very grateful we did it the class before)
This image was taken by an EKTEP student. I was able to watch one students experience with another student that did not want to partake with the headset so they could still have an idea of it to complete the worksheet.
Connection to the BC Curriculum (ELA)
Big Idea: Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.
Curricular Competency: Understand how literary elements, techniques, and devices enhance and shape meaning.
Content: Text features and literary elements.
Big Ideas: Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.
Curricular Competency: Recognizing how literary elements, techniques, and devices enhance meaning in texts.
Content: Text features and literary elements.
Cross Curricular: Applied Design, skills, and Technologies
Reflection:
This was another great experience in the classroom and with technology. I did not know that VR had immersive experiences with picture books appropriate for the classroom. I think this is a great alternative for those students who do not comprehend text as well as others, but is also a great way to gain some knowledge that was maybe missed while reading for all students. This isn’t something I would do all the time as I do believe that reading to children is very important for fundamental skills and developing a student but it is something I would do. Student engagement level went up and it gave them a totally different perspective.