Seventh and eighth graders in Mr. FitzRoy’s Virtual Worlds elective created learning experiences for fifth graders. The student-engineered virtual worlds were accessible using VR headsets or on any computer, tablet, or mobile device. To bring their projects to life, students were tasked with thinking like educational software designers, namely minding the user experience and trying to take advantage of the immersive and engaging aspects of virtual reality to enhance learning. A primary goal of the elective was to help students consider uses for virtual reality beyond gaming, including ways to promote empathy, enhance training, experience new places, make social connections, and engage curiosity.
 
The fifth graders enjoyed the opportunity to experience the virtual worlds in their classes, and the broader RCDS community was impressed by the projects during Innovation Week’s Student STEAM Showcase. A key component of sharing these innovative works was receiving constructive feedback from guest users. This helped reinforce to the budding software designers that innovation is a continuous, iterative process of refining and adjusting work.