Pease recently received virtual reality headsets and implementing the devices has been a revolutionary change. I constantly hear students asking me if we are going to be using the headsets during class -- it’s typically the first question I hear from most of my students.

To give you a little background on our setup, Isabel Espinoza and I are the two computer lab teachers. We see each student every other day -- Mrs. Espinoza specializes in communication; I specialize in technology. At the guidance of our principal, Gabriel Salgado, we wanted to change the vision of the labs to where we can directly teach not only technology, but content. It hasn’t been an easy process. We had to address how we could use two unique classes to make it even better for our students. VR is a huge step in that process.

ClassVR is the company from which we bought our headsets. This company allows us to have access to literally hundreds of resources in all subject areas. On top of that, this software allows the teacher to control the VR headsets through the company’s website. We are able to send out the lessons with one click, point out specific points we want the children to see, check whether they are in the lesson, shut down the devices and so much more.

In the past, teachers at Pease were limited to showing only pictures, videos and other similar visuals to help explain a concept. As great as some of these resources are, it is not the primary way we should be teaching at the technology magnet school. With these new resources, virtual field trips to various locations are possible. Teachers can now bring in the VR headsets and have the students observe the topic in the natural way. In one of my classes, we traveled to the moon for one stop. We were able to discuss gravity, astronauts and how they are able to breathe, how rockets work and the Milky Way and how it would look like from the moon. Adding this teaching across the content areas increases the students’ understanding of how ideas and applications work in real life.

On top of this, the headsets have augmented reality (AR) so there are lessons in which the students can see how something is compared to their normal surroundings. They can see how a black-footed penguin would look like if it was in the classroom. The older students can also take a 3D object they created to send to the 3D printer and view their object in real time before it is printed. This way, I can have them check and see whether it would print correctly or not, and they can check what changes need to be made.

The possibilities are too many to count. At Pease, we strive to be different. We also strive to use modern technology that is available and prepare the students for the real world that is changing by the day. We are excited to see what our students achieve in the future, and it is indeed a blessing to be a small part of this amazing process.

D.J. Rambo teaches technology at Pease Communications and Technology Academy.