Students experience education in a new dimension

Using virtual reality (VR) to discover your dream profession, to travel back in time or to actually sit in the German Bundestag or the European Parliament? For the students from Haan, this is no longer just a vision.

Here, a complete VR solution has been purchased with the help of federal government funding via the "Aufholen nach Corona" (Catching up after Corona) programme. The package is worth approximately €20,000 and comprises eight sets of VR goggles, hardware and software as well as an internal Intranet.

"The VR goggles are mainly intended to help with careers guidance, however they can also be used individually, for example when using political or historical content," explained Philipp Strompen of the Hann youth welfare office who, together with the head of the youth welfare office Stephanie Dellit, introduced the VR goggles to the youth centre.

Combining VR technology with education is the new concept for school work and for social welfare work in Haan. Dellit is very clear: "During the pandemic, many students had barely any or no opportunity to access careers guidance." She adds that the occupational areas of care and social welfare in particular, as well as the craft trades, were unable to offer any placements due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The VR goggles mean that the young people can now take a 360-degree journey and gain a realistic insight into more than 100 different training occupations. Thanks to the three-dimensional technology, the user then stands in the middle of a hospital and can even become an active part of the whole event and get involved via remote control.

Strompen also explained that the manufacturer's library was very extensive and, in part, even interactive.. When making a selection, he adds, the focus has been on "educationally valuable" material, with the main age group considered being 15 to 16-year-olds.

The aim is to use and deliver the VR material via the Jugendberufsagentur (career counselling for young people) and at the schools in Haan and in the youth centre.

"VR technology provides the user with the opportunity to transfer knowledge in a modern way and offers up completely new ways of bringing things to life. You might be peering into the European Parliament from above, witnessing a volcanic explosion or taking a tour around different occupational fields," says Philipp Strompen.