CCI Alumna Leticia Lins Silva studied Media at Houston Community College during the 2022-23 program year. Just seven months after returning to Brazil, Leticia is on the verge of completing her associate’s degree in internet systems at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Acre (IFAC). Her journey includes active involvement in two compelling projects, catalyzed by the formalized partnership between her current institution and Houston Community College.
Leticia’s first project, Dual Nation, is a virtual reality history gallery created on the Spatial.io platform. It narrates the stories of the states of the two partner institutions, Acre and Texas. The project aims to stimulate curiosity and the study of the history of the two states, using AI-generated images to illustrate historical events. This amalgamation of cutting-edge technology with historical narratives not only makes history more accessible to students but also serves as a foundational case study for Leticia’s monograph. The project is poised to be implemented with two high school classes, allowing educators to gain insights into the perspectives of students aged 16 to 19 years old. According to Leticia, the project will be used in the future as an educational tool for the institutions involved and in the region of each state.
The second project, called EnchanTech Castle, is a collaboration between Houston Community College, the University of Houston, and other institutions. Thanks to Leticia’s partnership with Professor Ruben, director of the XR Lab & Studio at Houston Community College, IFAC created a “Spooky space” for the event, where each institution had its own virtual space. The event, which took place on October 31st, addressed themes such as Halloween and climate change. During her exchange year, Leticia interned with Professor Ruben, who she considers to be a mentor. Professor Ruben introduced Leticia to virtual reality, and she’s bringing the experience from her internship in the United States back home to her institution in Brazil.
Leticia with students at the EnchanTech Castle event
On the day of the EnchanTech Castle event, Leticia mobilized 15 high school classes to participate. Inside the virtual space, students destroyed the source of all evil and fought individuals who have been affected by pollution, thus unlocking other spaces in the environment and reviving the forest. Leticia seamlessly integrated Brazilian folklore legends into the experience, narrating tales of mythical creatures safeguarding the forests. The legends bring together mythological figures from Brazilian folklore and their role in environmental preservation of the Amazon Forest and its rivers. Eight stories were chosen with different mythological beings that are known for taking care of the forest and rivers and protecting the entire Amazon ecosystem from pollution and people who do harm to the natural landscape. Leticia’s project blends together mythology, climate change, and virtual reality to promote environmental awareness and encourage young people to learn about the importance of environmental preservation.
While the EnchanTech Castle event was recently completed, Leticia plans to transform the virtual space she created for IFAC into an educational tool for children and young people in her state. For now, she is interested in extending the project to invite public school students to the IFAC laboratories, where they can learn about virtual reality, Brazilian folklore, and the environment. Just days away from graduation, Leticia also plans to pursue a master’s degree and create another virtual space that promotes more intriguing and dynamic learning. For Leticia, technology and virtual reality have long been focal points of interest, but it wasn’t until 2019 that she discovered a profound passion for history. After participating in the CCI Program, all three of her passions molded together to create innovative and unique tools for students. Leticia’s mind teems with creativity and passion, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing the remarkable endeavors she will undertake next.
Written by Holly Calhoun, Alumni Relations and Communications Coordinator