We say "a picture is worth a thousand words" and then ask our students to imagine things they cannot see. Two-dimensional representations of atoms, crude drawings of molecules on classroom boards, and abstract notations in chemistry and engineering help but lack the scale, space, and imagery of the real thing. The good news is that the technology of today gives us the opportunity to help our students see the invisible.
We have a chance to make learning of abstract concepts more real, more vivid, and more effective with augmented and virtual reality.
My students are curious and creative. They pose questions and seek answers but the main challenge of STEM subjects is how abstract some concepts are - explaining the tiny, understanding the enormous, and transporting your imagination to out-of-reach places.
I want to give my students the opportunity to not just imagine but to experience it all. With virtual reality the "too small to see" becomes visible and "too far to get to" is within reach.
My Project
Envision seeing the invisible. Imagine a student being able to enter a world of the atom and explore it thoroughly all the while being the hero of her own journey. Virtual reality (VR) headsets coupled with 3-D chemistry and engineering simulations and expeditions allow every student to not just see but experience the atom, the behavior of the gas inside of a helium balloon, or how electricity works.
We can place students in the middle of the action as ionic, covalent, and other bonds that make up everything are being formed.
We can allow engineering students to investigate how Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world - was built and why it’s design is appropriate for the hot desert it stands in. We can give them the opportunity to build things from scratch. The possibilities are endless as virtual reality knocks down the two-dimensional barriers of traditional technology and provides a fully immersive learning experience.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Cymerman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.