Holland Middle School Teacher Bill Boerman received a summer HEF initiative grant to purchase a classroom set of virtual reality headsets. He received additional headsets through a matching grant from Verizon.

 

" Through virtual reality, teachers are able to bring 'real-life' experiences directly in the classroom. My 8th grade students toured a greenhouse just by donning the VR goggles. My 6th graders traversed and analyzed the design of a suspension bridge, and during an activity connecting math and ice hockey, virtually went right down on the ice for warm-ups and the national anthem. These types of motivating experiences are hugely beneficial to students. The headsets are valuable in other subject areas as well. A social studies teacher discovered that students could participate virtually in a Civil War re-enactment. TWBI (Two-Way Bilingual Instruction) students utilize a VR app called 'Mondly' which allows them to experience life-like conversations in different languages in different settings - a restaurant, hotel, or train for example. And this is just a sampling of current uses - the potential is unlimited. I am grateful for HEF's help...you are making a difference. Without HEF, there is no way funding would have been available to provide these opportunities.

 

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