UT Austin is one of the most prominent universities in Texas with lots of history, good and unfortunately bad. One of those bad things is the Jefferson Davis statue and, more particularly, where it once used to be located and the unwanted honor it was getting. Since Jefferson Davis was the President of the Confederate States of America and Texas was a Confederate State, students of UT Austin felt that where the statue used to be located, UT Austin was honoring it and a part of the UT culture, which students were extremely against because it doesn’t represent UT Austin. This VR tour walks through the changes to the Jefferson Davis statue.
Project Summary:
Collaborate with an educational class to create a VR tour of a space in Austin that has historical or cultural significance and intersects with a social justice or an environmental issue.
The tour will serve several audiences:
Primary: 6th–12th grade Texas students from a school district without the means to travel to Austin (distance, lack of funding, etc.).
Secondary: Teens and adults who want to learn more about Austin’s historical and current relationship to the issue but are unable to visit the city.
Secondary: Teens and adults who want to learn more about Austin’s historical and current relationship to the issue but are unable to visit the city.
Roles:
Pedro Galvan: Research, Storyboard, and Create Lesson Plan
Aedan Padron: Research, Storyboard, Take 360 Photos, and Assemble VR Tour
Aedan Padron: Research, Storyboard, Take 360 Photos, and Assemble VR Tour
Process:
Partnering with Pedro Galvan from the educational class, we decided to do our VR tour about the Jefferson Davis statue at UT Austin, with the social issue being that UT Austin is showing support by having the statue since Jefferson Davis was the leader of the Confederacy for the entire south.
Research:
Research was conducted to get more information about the Jefferson Davis statue at UT Austin. Pedro was tasked with collecting and sharing research documents related to the social issue and how this issue (the Jefferson Davis statue) has impacted (or is impacting) the people in Austin. I was tasked with collecting and sharing research documents related to the specific site (UT Austin) and how it relates to the social issue and planning where the VR Tour will occur.
The outline plan where the VR Tour will take place and where the 360 photos will be taken.
Storyboard:
In order for a story to be told in our VR Tour, a storyboard was created where Pedro and I had to determine the order of our VR Tour. Also, we determine how to set the stage for our place and issue, how to move the student into the story, including a counter viewpoint or conflict, create a resolution, and most importantly, what photos I would take.
Taking the 360 Photos:
After it was time to take the 360 photos, I took photos of where the Jefferson Davis statue was initially located at the South Mall, the Briscoe Center where it is now, and the statue itself.
360 photo of the South Mall at UT Austin where the statue used to be located.
360 photo of the Briscoe Center where the statue is located now.
360 photo of the Jefferson Davis statue.
Results:
A VR tour of the Jefferson Davis statue at UT Austin tells a story about the Jefferson Davis at UT Austin, from where it was initially located to where it is now, to how people perceived the statue.
South Mall: Where the statue was originally located.
Briscoe Center: Where the statue is located now.
The Jefferson Davis statue located in the Briscoe Center at UT Austin.
Link To VR Tour: Jefferson Davis VR Tour
