What is it like to teach in a virtual classroom? And how do you lead a virtual field trip with a group of students from across Europe? These were not hypothetical questions for the 28 students and academics who gathered at the Faculty of Education of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. As part of the EUPeace alliance, they took part in the faculty’s first Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) – a format that combines online preparation with an intensive in-person component – and experienced virtual reality teaching firsthand.
“It is a prestigious milestone for us. We are organising the first BIP at the Faculty of Education and only the second across the entire university. At the same time, we are strengthening our international partnerships”, said Tereza Havránková, Vice-Dean for Internationalisation at the Faculty of Education. The BIP format, part of the Erasmus+ programme, proved to be an ideal fit: participants first meet virtually, then complete an intensive joint programme, and finally share their experiences across institutions.
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© UWBLearning by doing – straight into the virtual classroom
Rather than focusing on theory, the programme placed participants directly in the role of teachers. Drawing on two projects of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic – virtual classrooms and virtual field-based learning – participants led short teaching sessions, responded to live classroom situations, and adjusted their approach based on immediate feedback. “It was incredible to experience teaching through role-play in virtual reality. It is very useful for our training,” said María González from Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid. Creating teaching content and working with virtual field trips also drew strong positive feedback, with sessions led by students from the Department of Geosciences at the Faculty of Education.
From the lecture hall to a primary school
The programme also took participants beyond the university. A visit to the 2nd Primary School in Pilsen, where virtual reality is already a regular part of classroom life, gave the group a chance to observe the technology in action during an actual biology lesson. “It was fascinating to see how easily children use virtual reality. I was surprised at how natural it is for them,” said Katia Sanelli Kusset from Comillas University. Auréa Stamane from the University of Limoges shared a similar impression: “I was impressed by how the school integrates virtual reality. I would love to bring similar playful elements to France.”
Beyond the practical sessions, the BIP created space for building longer-term partnerships. During their stay, the international guests also met with faculty leadership at UWB to discuss future cooperation within the alliance.
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