Ms. Osiadacz reflected that, as an educator for the past 20 years, she has often posed
the question to young people during her lessons, “Do you enjoy learning history?”.
The closer we approached contemporary times, the more frequently the answer was negative. This was largely attributed to the quantity of dates they were required to memorize and the length of texts that they had to read in class. Of course, in recent times, they have been exposed to more documentaries and a greater number of short videos. This may appear to be more efficient, but it still does not seem sufficient for them to retain knowledge
and appreciate learning.
When it comes to the sensitive subject of the Holocaust, it cannot be taught like any other historical event. The objective is to educate and sensitize young people, to open their minds, encourage critical thinking, and prompt them to draw conclusions from the past. The core values and knowledge haven't changed, but the tools to achieve this objective have.
Younger generations do not learn or gather information during a particular time of the day, but rather do it throughout the day. Everything is available here and now, culturally speaking, we live in an era of nanoseconds. Since the birth of digital natives, they have been continually exposed to technologies, images, videos, and the Internet. When asked if they would like augmented reality to be used in their education, most express interest. However, what's perhaps most intriguing is that the tool used is actually less important to them than the content being conveyed.
While conversing with students as part of her research and prototype testing, Ms. Osiadacz concluded that it is crucial for the quality of the new technology to be high yet also accessible. Above all, it should never serve as an end in itself or a substitute for content; rather, it is merely a tool to achieve the set objectives. Testing these tools and observing
the participants' reactions are essential to the project's development. What students currently seek is interactivity, sensitivity, and active engagement.
They want to be touched, to be moved, to be involved. - Orit Margaliot
Despite their immersion in the online world, they still have a strong need for multi-sensory experiences and the formation of genuine relationships. Even though they often escape reality by seeking solace on the Internet, a phenomenon known as digital alienation, this need remains evident and essential to satisfy. - Anna Osiadacz
The trend now is to move away from mass-produced tools and towards unique projects tailored to a well-defined audience at a specific time. For instance, the touch screens that are sometimes employed in permanent or temporary exhibitions serve as technological tools
for presenting content but often lack additional potential or purpose for the project. Nowadays, it is more effective to motivate, engage, and pique the interest of participants
by introducing something new that they may not have previously encountered, such as virtual reality (VR) in Poland, for example.
Young people should never be inundated with information and dates; instead, they should be taken on a captivating journey. This is the power of storytelling. We need to consider
According to our experience, combining virtual reality with interactive workshops
and the emotions stemming from the VR experience is an effective formula for an immersive educational session. - Anna Osiadacz