The initiative, named “The Eyes of History,” aims to bring Catalonia's cultural heritage closer to the public through an innovative educational proposal. Students used virtual reality headsets at the La Florida 6.0 building to embark on an immersive journey into the past.
“"It seemed very interesting to me, it's an activity that's great for learning about history."
During the half-hour experience, participants were able to interact with historical objects such as carpets, shields, and swords. Touching or looking at these elements revealed their definitions, facilitating an understanding of their use in antiquity.
“"There were various objects from the past, like carpets, shields, swords… which, if you looked at or touched them, their definition would appear. This way we could learn what these objects were used for in ancient times."
This methodology adapts to the new educational curriculum, valuing heritage as a tool to better understand the present. A Social Sciences teacher from the institute described the initiative as a success, highlighting that it allows students to step out of the classroom and textbooks to experience a virtual journey into the modern era, which they are currently studying.
“"The castle had its peak activity during the medieval and modern eras. In third year of ESO, we are studying the modern era, and it seems like a way to get out of the book and the classroom to experience this virtual experience."
The students have shown great interest in this form of learning, finding it more fun and engaging than traditional methods. They were impressed by the realism of the images, especially a moment when they could see the entire castle and river from an elevated perspective.
“"It feels like you're actually there, you can see it much better than in a book."
The ultimate goal of the activity is to spark the young people's curiosity to visit various Catalan monuments. The director of Territorial Services in Barcelona for the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya emphasized the importance of citizens knowing and valuing heritage for its preservation. To date, 85 educational centers and 9,000 students have participated in this project.
