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Virtual Reality school bus shows 5th graders a new way to learn

Posted at 5:47 PM, Nov 28, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-29 02:28:42-05

DADE CITY, Fla. — It's a new way of learning that’s hard to believe is even possible. We’re talking about technology giving kids the ability to hold a digital butterfly or a human heart in their hands.

Kids today might not know the tragedy of losing an ox because the river was too deep to ford – as was the case in the PC game 'Oregon Trail.'

But the technology of today is giving their education a more hands-on approach.

"Like you can dissect anything and see how it looks inside of it," said Hunter Brown, a 5th grader at Lacoochee Elementary in Dade City. 

On Wednesday virtual reality provided Lacoochee fifth graders like Hunter Brown a chance to see things in a whole new way. 

With special glasses and a pen, images come right off the screen and into the students' fingertips.

"I feel like it's a lot more engaging and a lot more fun for them than traditional teaching because it's on a computer, it's 3-D, it's virtual reality," said Daniel Vazquez, graduation enhancement teacher at Lacoochee Elementary.

The company z-Space has virtual teaching for elementary levels all the way to med students. 

"We do have to figure out new and innovative ways to engage our kids and a lot of times it does involve technology," said Vazquez.

The z-Space bus may be back visiting schools in the Bay Area next Spring. 

"It's a really cool experience," said Vazquez.