MIDDLE STUDY GROUP (GRADES 7—9)

Developing virtual reality games helps teenagers develop the critical thinking skills they need, foster creativity and team problem-solving, and help them explore concepts related to science, technology, art and maths.

About the classes

• Lecture duration: 90 minutes. Each session starts with a 30-minute lecture, followed by 30-40 minutes of hands-on practice at your virtual reality workstation. At the end of the lesson, there is an opportunity to move around and play virtual reality games in a shared virtual space.
• Group size: maximum 8 people. Each child will have the opportunity to ask the trainer questions and get help in developing their project.
• Every Saturday, groups work on a joint project development At the end of the training, each group will present their project in an exhibition and receive a work evaluation.
• On Sundays, we offer pupils to visit the virtual reality club in order to perform various practical tasks, play games and just have a good time together with other children. Students must sign up for the club after each lesson. Duration of the club session: 90 minutes.
• Technology and equipment: our school is equipped with powerful gaming computers and the latest generation of Oculus Quest 3 goggles. Each student has a 10m2 space to move around safely and fully in the virtual reality environment. Computer monitors are freely adjustable and workstations are equipped with ergonomic chairs to ensure a comfortable working environment for every child.

Curriculum Our curriculum offers a journey into the depths of virtual reality game design, where we’ll foster creativity and develop ideas to become game design experts. We focus on teamwork to develop cooperation and communication skills, as well as on how to divide work responsibilities, listen to different points of view and work together to achieve goals. The course uses the Unity Engine virtual reality game development software, giving children the opportunity to learn how to create their own games and use different applications.

Curriculum content:

• Virtual reality games and how they work;
• Game design basics: the principles and technical knowledge needed to design games in virtual reality;
• Levels and level design in games: how to design levels to be both exciting and challenging;
• Narrative design: the importance of an emotional and immersive story when designing games in virtual reality;
• System design: the design of game components and mechanisms and its importance;
• Sound design: an introduction to creating and incorporating different sounds into the play process;
• User experience design: how to ensure that the game you create is easy to understand, convenient and intuitive for the user.