School pupils in Caithness will soon be able to enter a new dimension thanks to a new initiative reaching rural areas across the Highlands and Islands.
The Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project is delighted to announce a partnership with Stagecoach that will see the national company sponsor Virtual Reality (VR) headsets as part of a schools engagement initiative in the region.
Virtual Reality headset.
The VR headsets, along with the immersive portal, has fast become one of the highlights at major events around Scotland having showcased at the Royal Highland Show, Inverness Highland Games and the Black Isle Show.
The ‘On the road’ tour, will see Stagecoach bringing the VR headsets to schools in Caithness and other Highland areas throughout the Autumn this year.
Many school pupils will be used to gaming with their own VR headsets. However, utilising immersive 360-degree filming technology, the project will allow pupils to be taken on a journey across land, sea and air to actual places across the Highlands and Islands, a million miles away from the imaginary worlds of Minecraft, Half-Life and Beat Saber they may be used to, say the organisers.
David Beaton, managing director for Stagecoach Highlands said “This is a fantastic project for us to be involved in. Being able to bring this technology to rural schools who might not otherwise have the opportunity to ever use them in an educational environment, is great.”
Cllr Ian Brown, leader of Inverness city and area said “The VR headsets provide pupils the opportunity to be transported to different locations throughout the Highlands and Islands, some of whom might never have seen before. It offers the chance for pupils to strengthen their understanding of the vastness of our beautiful landscapes and understand why this project is so important to tourism in their areas.”
Chair of Highland Council’s education committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said: “It is great to see Highland pupils in rural areas getting the opportunity to use VR headsets and especially now when they have received positive press and a high profile nationally.”
The project aims to encourage people to visit all parts of the Highlands and Islands in a “new, innovative and sustainable way”.