Virtual Reality Films in the Classroom

Teachers have been showing movies in the classroom for a very long time. They are shown in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and even colleges. They are shown as an entertaining reward. They are used to introduce topics. They are used to reinforce ideas. They are used to take our students to places they haven’t been.

Many students have limited experiences outside of their local neighborhoods. Students who come from low-income families that work hard to provide the essentials don’t have time or money for travel. They don’t come to school with the same background knowledge their more affluent counterparts do. We need to develop all the background knowledge needed for them to be successful right there in the classroom.

In this unit I will examine the usefulness of movies in education. Are they a useful tool or a way to fill our students’ time? In particular, I will examine virtual reality films in our classrooms. Are they a useful tool or a way to fill our students’ time? Is this a way to engage our students even more fully in a topic, or is it an expensive toy?