York Region kids immerse themselves in virtual world
Children make virtual reality glasses

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 20, 2016
By Simone Joseph

It’s a dark Saturday morning with little prospect of outdoor play yet the fifteen children gathered in this Thornhill library don’t seem to care.

“Yes. I get it. I get it. The virtual reality is complete,” says Ethan Lu, 12, of Markham.

Lukas Nuzzi, a 9-year-old Maple resident, is engrossed in his own vision. “Wow. Look for the roller coaster,” he says.

Another child interjects: “I see two images”.

“Virtual reality is becoming part of the future,” Tony Carcone says. "I’d rather he be at the forefront of it.”

Another exclaims: “Oh my God, this is so cool.”

Lukas pipes up: “It’s just like you are riding a roller coaster.”

The children are clustered around tables in the children’s corner of Thornhill’s Bathurst Clark Resource Library discovering and exploring virtual reality. Librarian Richard Anderson is at the helm, helping them first assemble virtual reality glasses (out of Google cardboard, special lenses, tape and, of course, a cellphone), then guiding them as they discover and explore virtual reality during this one-hour course.

“Does anyone know what augmenting reality is?” he asks them. “Taking another world and using it in ours.”

One person suggests Pokemon is an example and Anderson agrees.

As these children return to playing with their glasses, they prove tough interview subjects.

When Ethan is asked what he has liked most about this course, he says: “The end when you get to see...” then his voice trails off as the young Markham resident gazes into his glasses.

A minute or so later, he exclaims: “Ew. I’m looking at a dead person right now.”

Nearby, young Adrian Carcone, 11, makes his own discoveries.

“I’m fishing,” the Maple resident says as his mother, Angela Leiva-Carcone, laughs from a chair close by.

“There’s a giant whale,” Adrian says.

In case you think these are worlds only the very young can appreciate, Adrian’s dad Tony Carcone proves just as enthusiastic as the mini-techies: “Oh no, you’ve gotta see this,” Tony says to Angela, as he peers through his son’s glasses.

“Look around and see the city,” Tony says, referring to some unidentified city on the other side of his son’s lens.

Soon, we hear Adrian back in command of his glasses say: “Woah, I just went into space.” Then, a second later: “I’m going to Chicago.”

Tony and Angela have enrolled their son in this kind of make-your-own class at the library before. They love the stimulation it provides for him and the other children in the class.

“It stimulates their brain, their motor skills. It helps with their social interaction,” Angela said. ”It does make them think on their own, be creative instead of sitting in front of TV or playing video games. It creates a lot of challenges for them. It brings so much more out of him,” she said.

Tony likes the fact that his son is on the cutting edge, so to speak.

“Virtual reality is becoming part of the future,” Tony says. "I’d rather he be at the forefront of it.” The application of virtual reality, it applies to many businesses, such as being able to tour through your factory globally, he says.

“This is a starting point. He can research, look for education apps,” Tony says.

It may turn into something more than a hobby for Adrian, Angela says.

“It could trigger something inside of him,” she said.

Perhaps it will direct him to a unique career choice, like being a game maker, she said. “It could inspire him.”

Anderson, a digital creations specialist in the children’s section of the Bathurst Clark Resource Library, is not surprised by the enthusiasm for his course for 8-12 year old children.

He feels lucky to have the freedom to explore different ways of presenting and exploring technology with children.

 “I can take more chances than teachers can. I try to be one step ahead. The maker culture is pervasive throughout most school systems.”

In some ways, he feels he has more freedom than even teachers do.

“Educators have benchmarks that have to be met. We have an educational component, but there is fun. I can experiment with teaching with fewer hoops to jump through.”

But Anderson is not just in it for the kids. He genuinely loves gadgets and playing.

“It’s a lot of fun for me. The little kid in me still likes this kind of thing.”

He believes that in presenting this type of class, the library is still doing what it was meant to do.

“We’re still in the business of information. We’re still doing our job. We’re just shifting the medium.”

For more information on Vaughan’s library programs for children:

Go to vaughanpl.info or pick up a copy of What’s On, a free guide to Vaughan library programs and special events available at any Vaughan library.