According to a news release, the new program for grades four through 12 takes students on a virtual field trip to Edge at Hudson Yards, a 1,100-foot observation deck and weather observation station popular with tourists, as well as on a drone flight through the city. The online VR experience is available for free as part of Edge’s Reach for the Sky initiative, which aims to encourage an early interest in STEM fields among K-12 students.
“With this new virtual-reality experience, we’ve found an innovative new way for students to not only explore New York City’s skyline but see how STEM powers innovation through some of the most cutting-edge technology available,” Hudson Yards Vice President of Sales Haley Ward said in a public statement.
Sarah Hirsch, Discovery Education’s partner impact manager, told Government Technology that the interactive program features a series of videos where students can learn more about the work of architects, engineers and staff who manage daily operations at the popular tourist attraction, among other activities designed to stimulate interest in STEM.
“After [students] complete each experience, there’s some project-based learning afterwards,” she said. “We showcase different careers that require different skill sets, different backgrounds and different pathways, and we’re showing students how to see themselves in those different careers.”
In addition to making the program free for teachers and students, Hirsch said, Discovery Education designed the experience and activities to be accessible with or without VR headsets.
“Because it is browser based as well, [students] can access it from their Chromebooks,” she said.
According to Phil Birchinall, Discovery Education’s senior director of immersive content, virtual reality programs like Discovery’s can help teachers keep students engaged, particularly in STEM-related subjects where hands-on activities can connect classroom lessons to real-world knowledge and skill sets.
He said the program adds to a suite of other immersive digital learning programs offered by Discovery Education, such as its Sandbox AR program, an augmented reality “maker” app that allows users to create their own virtual environments for course lessons.
“Augmented reality on devices now is way superior to when we first encountered it a few years ago,” Birchinall said, adding that the company has plans to build up its AR/VR portfolio moving forward. “Experiences like this can create a spark. … We want to be able to say that a student looked at that experience, and that sparked something for them. And technologies like this are really a key part of that strategy for us.”
