Cincinnati high schoolers to design in 3D through high tech learning program

Virtual reality will become the real thing for a group of Cincinnati area high school students firing up their computers for a new hands-on educational program designed to spark their interest in high tech careers.Nearly 80 students from 10 suburban Cincinnati schools will participate in the city’s first Virtual Reality Education Pathfinders (VREP) Institute. The two-day program starts Thursday at the University of Cincinnati’s Tangeman Center. VREP is a national education initiative that works to open students minds to careers that incorporate virtual reality, 3D technology. The Hamilton County Educational Service Center is hosting the Institute, along with the Grant Wood Area Education Agency in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where VREP was founded, and LEARN in Old Lyme, Conn., an early adopter of the program.  Students will work in small teams using Blender 3D software to build a virtual gingerbread man. It’s a simple, but effective, exercise where they will assemble his body, make it move and build the environment in which he lives.”It’s a great first application, and when we saw the students in Iowa use it, we saw how it really works out. You can easily incorporate movement and building the environment in which he is going to interact virtually,” said Deb Myers, a member of the VREP National Executive Team and staff member of the Hamilton County Educational Service Center.The program will be student led, taught by two high school students and two Iowa State college students who are experienced in the technology.”Essentially, while adults are going to be in the room, for most of those two days they are a resource. This is really kids teaching kids, facilitating each others’ learning,” Meyers said.Funding from UC’s Fusion Center, which promotes STEM learning, will make sure students don’t lose what they learn. Through the Fusion Center students will be able to purchase the VREP technology package for their schools. This includes professional level software, used in building design and construction, which students can use once they are prepared.”The professional level of 3D rendering is very similar to what the business industry is using at this point. Ultimately that is a learning pathway for kids to see what they are doing applies to the real world,” Meyers said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Deb Myers, member of the VREP National Executive Team and staff member of the Hamilton County Educational Service CenterYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites