St. Margaret’s Virtual Reality Pilot Program to Transform Classroom Learning

St. Margaret’s English teachers are stepping into the future thanks to a new virtual reality (VR) initiative made possible through a Parent Teacher Fellowship grant.

St. Margaret’s recently acquired 10 cutting-edge VR headsets and entered into a new partnership with Optima VR, a company that specializes in educational virtual reality experiences. As part of the agreement, St. Margaret’s is working with an implementation coach from Optima VR to help integrate immersive learning into the classroom.

The ability to custom-design lessons aligned with the curricula provides an incredible opportunity to deepen student engagement and learning opportunities.

This fall, several English teachers have begun piloting the program by integrating VR into their Shakespeare units. Students can step into immersive Elizabethan environments, interact with characters from the plays, and explore the world of Shakespeare beyond the printed page.

Future applications are already being planned, with teachers planning to incorporate content simulating life on Mars, exploring geography and culture in South Africa, and experiencing art virtually. 

The program aims to expand further as St. Margaret’s explores new ways to harness VR’s capabilities. With the ability to incorporate video, music, and even interactive characters from literature or history, St. Margaret’s educators see this teaching tool making the possibilities nearly limitless.

"This is just the beginning," said Angela Mackenzie, director of educational technology and library, and department chair of computer science, “and we’re excited about where this technology can take St. Margaret’s students.”