By Melissa Fonseca, Grade 5/6 Teacher at St. John Paul II Catholic Elementary School
Who would have thought one could experience the future when celebrating 150 years of Canadian history? Four weeks and counting and my students are still talking about the 360° film and virtual reality experience at SESQUI’s open house.
Twenty-four elementary students from St. John Paul II were given the opportunity to preview the film HORIZON in the SESQUI screen test proto-dome. They watched the movie from a unique perspective, laying on their backs as colourful scenes unfolded on the screen above them.
The students also met the production team, including the director, camera operators and sound technicians and were intrigued by the level of detail required when filming in 360°.
The event ended with a bang when the students put on virtual reality headsets, many of them for the first time. Their honest reactions expressed a deep interest in this new and exciting world of storytelling, that placed them right in the middle of the action. We were then given two Google Cardboard headsets to use in our classroom, allowing us to continue the VR experience at school.
SESQUI was a great way to teach my students about the beautiful places, cultures and traditions that make Canada home. But the experience went one step further by introducing them to emerging technology, that I’m sure will have a profound impact on the way they learn and see the world.
Canada’s 150th is a great opportunity to go beyond the textbook to celebrate a major milestone in our nation’s history. I encourage educators to take a moment to consider how they can teach their students about the past while building excitement for what lies ahead. For me, SESQUI has been a great way to do that.
