The Future Maker Mobile Learning Lab visited El Dorado High School on April 26. The lab provides students with a combination of interactive virtual and augmented reality activities that allow them to explore high-demand careers related to technical education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
The sophomore class and a few junior students took turns visiting the lab throughout the day. They rotated between three stations: virtual painting, virtual welding and an augmented 3D studio on the computers.
At the end of the session, the three groups were brought together to discuss opportunities for high school students to take college or technical school courses in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) fields for free or at a reduced tuition rate at local institutions. They discussed the need for skilled workers and how certifications can lead to high-paying jobs.
“I don’t think very many students have really thought about something like painting as a career, but if you look at the industry around Wichita, it is one that is definitely out there,” Staci Rickard, College and Career Coordinator said.
The activities are designed to be fun for students, but also to offer them a chance to work on problem solving and troubleshooting skills in a professional context.
For instance, the augmented 3D reality studio required students to get creative using digital tools to move a ball from a platform to a putting cup on the other side of the digital arena, while avoiding a water hazard. Tool at their disposal included a speed cube to increase the velocity of the ball, texture cubes to provide or reduce friction, and a cube, deflector, and ramps to affect the direction of the ball. They wore 3D glasses and used a digital pen to place and manipulate the items as well as to rotate the sphere to view their course from various angles.
In the paint booth and on the virtual welder, students wore virtual reality goggles to complete a job while everyone else watched their progress on the computer screen. The virtual format allows students to test different techniques to learn the control, consistency, and patience needed to properly complete a task without wasting materials or making a big mess.
The Future Maker Mobile Learning Lab began visiting schools in 2016, and thanks to generous sponsors, is free for schools to host. To learn more about the mobile STEM lab, please visit their website: https://futuremakerlab.com/
