In a breaking announcement that has sent shock waves across the tech and media industries, social media Goliath Facebook announced it bought virtual reality gaming company Oculus VR for $2 billion. 

For many, the news is an introduction to the goofy-looking VR headset that was created for video games. The Oculus Rift device started as a Kickstarter project that eventually raised more than $2 million. 

Just earlier this month, students at Iolani School got a hands-on preview of the device, which has not yet been released to the public. 

Programming students at the school’s new Sullivan Center for Innovation and Leadership tested it to inform lessons on building worlds in a virtual setting. 

“The strength of the Rift is in its ability to allow students to experience their hard work and learning in a fun new way that encourages learning beyond academic recital.” (7th-grade teacher Gabriel) Yanagihara said. “We got to see some of that express itself in our first demo and I look forward to seeing how far we can take it. So not only do students begin to learn programming, but they also reinforce the learning from all their other subjects.”

Learn more about the students experience here, and see their reactions to the device in the video below.

Photo: A student plays the popular PC game “Minecraft” on the Oculus Rift. (Iolani School)

— Gene Park