The second Project Result (PR2) involves the development of a Virtual Reality Platform to implement digital activities for youth workers. It concerns a Simulation of a Youth Center developed after the prototypes of physical in-site Youth Centres, that include a set of settings aiming to complement the work of real life Youth Centers.
This Project Result was coordinated and developed by BOLT Virtual Company, as the partner with expertise on the digital part and technical aspects. BOLT Virtual with its great experience in developing VR Platforms, Applications and Games for learning and educational reasons (especially in the project “VR in School Education & Civic Participation” which was one of the predecessors for this project) took on the task of developing the VR Game.
Consortium members cooperated in the development of the VR application game, as experts the majority of them in non-formal education methods, the Digital Youth Work context (KEKs), but also given their extensive experience in youth work and youth workers needs when in learning/training process. BOLT company, having received the inputs of the rest consortium members, and given their expertise in developing such applications applied the requested interface, environment and interoperability concept into the VR game. Therefore, the whole consortium, having cooperated during this result formation, created a Youth Center virtual environment under VR application, in which the user (youth worker or young participant) can navigate when wearing the VR headsets. Several rooms are developed, where users can simultaneously meet in one space with couches, chill area, playroom area etc, training room formed or even a personal space for bilateral meetings one-to-one by the users.
The VR platform is a simulation of a Youth Centre that aims to fill the digital gap created nowadays and work complementary to the traditional educative methods. The main output was the Virtual Reality Software itself and as additional material BOLT Virtual provided:
- A multiplayer, interactive Virtual Reality application that can be installed and played by up to 50 participants using VR headsets.
- A video walkthrough/tutorial of gameplay
- A document on technical requirements and specifications of the system
- A manual on installation on a VR headset and gameplay.
With the current circumstances, online sections are required for youth workers and VET trainers to develop digital skills and be equipped with the necessary digital knowledge. Virtual Reality is a relatively recent type of technology, whose applications are gradually included in the educational process. Virtual Reality is found to be a powerful educational technological means, whose capabilities prevail the multimedia’s’. This happens due to Virtual Reality’s ability to simulate an environment in three dimensions, thus, offering a high-level interaction and contact immediacy of the user with the environment. This results in the user’s immersion in the fabricated environment and experiencing it firsthand. The limitations in spreading the use of Virtual Reality, mainly because of the cost and difficulty to develop applications, are expected to be overcome soon, a feat leading to the conclusion that, Virtual Reality will bring a true revolution in education, after all. Using this technology for the project’s purposes, by developing a virtual environment.
You can find the application and all the useful documents here.