Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus – Happy St David’s Day! Avantis Education has a long history of working closely with schools in Wales and on 1st March every year we like to celebrate alongside our Welsh friends, just a few miles away over the River Severn.
This year we are very excited to announce that, to coincide with St David’s Day 2022, we are releasing a brand-new Avanti’s World scene to celebrate an important part of Welsh history – coal mining. Our latest scene, Welsh Coal Mining, takes students beneath the lush greenery of the Welsh hills and valleys and down into the dark, dangerous mines that provided so many towns in Wales with community, industry and economic growth.
Experience Welsh Coal Mining in Virtual Reality
Mining coal and other valuable resources provided many towns in Wales with a steady supply of resources for hundreds of years and ultimately lead to the growth of large communities around the mines. People moved their families closer to the sites and over time, mining became one of the largest single providers of work for people in Wales. Eventually, Cardiff and Barry built ports to export the coal mined there, as demand grew, and Wales was a major supplier worldwide.
This amazing new scene allows students to explore both above and below ground to see what a coal mine would have really looked like, without needing to leave the safety and comfort of the classroom – no canaries required!
Based on data from the Big Pit in Minehead, this scene represents one of the most productive mines in Wales at the height of its success. With only a few, small mines still open in the country, this step back in time truly does the impossible and allows students to experience what life would have been like for miners in Wales just a few years ago, well within living memory.
So, whether you are a Welsh national looking to explore your own country’s history this St David’s Day, or a complete newcomer looking to show your students around, this scene is a perfect introduction to the history of Wales. We can’t wait to hear what you think!
You can find out more about how to access Avanti’s World on the website. If you are a ClassVR user, you can subscribe directly through your Portal, or head over to Engaging Earth Land, and explore this brand-new scene in the Geology Zone!
For more information on ClassVR & Avanti’s World, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, or drop us an email at community@classvr.com
