“COVID-19 has brought us to our creative knees. I mean, how do you create an engaging personal experience without being there to personally engage?”
While many struggling education programs have gone virtual, one program is taking it a step further into virtual reality. Antonio Gustin, director of the Gateway Science Project, is known for is dynamic and theatrical live insect show, Tony’s Creepy Crawly Zoo. Tony’s Creepy Crawly Zoo was a program that, along with a dynamic and theatrical dialogue, allowed students to touch and hold live insects from around the world. The show had a very powerful effect on students and was designed to inspire scientific curiosity. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the program attempted to go virtual like many other programs. Gustin was not satisfied with the impact. “Virtual is just another word for video. Our live show was a dynamic and powerful experience for students. COVID-19 has brought us to our creative knees. I mean, how do you create an engaging personal experience without being there to personally engage?”
The answer is “virtual reality.” The Gateway Science Project has invested in two custom made 360 macro video cameras that can give you a 360-degree view of the world from the perspective of being 2 inches tall. “In virtual reality, you are there, you are in that world. For under $20 and a cell phone, you can experience things like never before. We can create entire worlds, forests, prairies, ponds, and milkweed fields and take you into those worlds. We can put you inside a beehive where the bees are the size of cows! It is either going to be the coolest, or the most terrifying experience you’ve ever had.”
Gustin designed a demo of his virtual world on his website, www.creepycrawlyzoo.com , and plans to go live with a full version in March. The virtual world will be complete with learning courses for students that reveal secret passwords opening new areas to explore.
Gustin does not plan to stop in the virtual world. In 2021 The Gateway Science Project plans to open a real-world location as well, complete with 5 acres for kids and families to explore outside. It will be an insect/reptile themed natural science park for families. The venture is part of a larger endeavor with other partners to create a COVID friendly park in the Cedarburg area. “We are going to be in a COVID world for at least another year and we are all dying for things to do while keeping our families safe. I have been fortunate to partner with other individuals who plan to address this need. 2020 was less than stellar, but 2021 holds great promise.” said Gustin.
For more information about the Gateway Science Project and its plans for 2021, please visit www.creepycrawlyzoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/creepycrawlyzoo
Tales from the Bug Whisperer 