Kester Dyer, Assistant Professor in Film Studies, collaborated with the Experiential Learning Hub (ELH) to give his second-year students in his Indigenous Cinema and Media course the opportunity to view a powerful Indigenous-made Virtual Reality (VR) experience, William. This seated VR experience immerses the viewer in William’s world, a young boy taken from his home and placed in a residential school in the 1950s.
Dyer spoke with Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller, Associate Vice President of Indigenous Teaching, Learning, and Research, about William and how best to pedagogically engage with such an immersive experience on a sensitive subject. They decided to organize a discussion around the piece with the students after the viewing and invited the filmmakers and staff from TLS to attend.
The creators of William, director Sonia Bonspille Boileau (Kanienkeha:ka) and producer Jason Brennan (Algonquin), joined the discussion with the students after the viewing. “It is a huge advantage to discuss works of art with the makers, and students always get a lot out of this, but it seemed especially beneficial to have the opportunity to have Jason and Sonia there to discuss William since it deals with such sensitive and complex, but important, issues,” commented Dyer.
The conversation highlighted the responsibilities that come with such powerful storytelling, as Boileau shared her personal connection to the subject matter, drawing from her grandfather’s experiences as a residential school survivor.
TLS’s team members, Greg Allison and Hasi Eldib attended the discussion with others from the TLS Digital Learning New Media team. Greg and Hasi, along with several other staff members on the TLS New Media team, are working on XR Media Production projects, including 360 films inspired by pieces like William. Eldib shares, “Meeting Jason and Sonia and hearing about their production of William was affirming in many ways, especially in showing that even with more resources, the core principles of storytelling remain the priority.”
Dyer emphasized the importance of using innovative media in education. “I usually include a VR piece to give students a broader sense of work being done in different media,” he said, “and this semester’s choice of William allowed his students to engage deeply with the material and its historical context.
Student feedback on the experience has been positive, says Dyer, “Students appreciated the opportunity to view the VR piece and expressed their gratitude for the chance to engage with the creators directly.”
The immersive nature of VR offers a unique learning experience. “VR attempts to provide a more immersive experience than traditional film,” Dyer explained, noting its potential to enhance understanding of Indigenous perspectives on technology and storytelling.
The integration of VR enriches the curriculum and fosters a deeper understanding of Indigenous narratives. “This is about raising awareness and honouring the storytellers’ perspectives,” Dyer concluded.
