EXPLORING THE WORLD IN 3D IN GEOGRAPHY TEACHING WITH VIRTUAL GLASSES WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL II STUDENTS: AN EXPERIENCE IN THE SUPERVISED INTERNSHIP

Abstract

Supervised internship is a crucial stage in academic training, especially for Computer Science Education students at the University of the State of Amazonas. It provides integration into the school environment and direct contact with the educational reality, offering the opportunity to become acquainted with different pedagogical approaches and teacher profiles, allowing future professionals to acquire practical skills and valuable experiences for their careers. In the field of computing, the internship provides a chance to experience real-life situations, applying these experiences according to each student's individual needs, using technological tools and innovative methods to enhance the teaching-learning process. The supervised internship took place at the State School Educandário Santa Rita, located in the municipality of Lábrea, Amazonas. The internship contributed to an investigation into the potential of ICTs in education, specifically the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as a pedagogical tool. The study involved 7th-grade students in Secondary Education and aimed to make Geography classes more dynamic and engaging. VR sparked great interest among the students, who, although already familiar with new technologies, had not yet experienced VR. During the classes, students could explore virtual environments such as ships and cargo trains, directly relating the content to geography, particularly the topic of transportation. Student feedback regarding the new way of presenting the content revealed that the vast majority appreciated the use of VR as a learning tool, finding the classes more useful and stimulating, which increased their interest in the geography discipline.