Virtual Reality (VR) was test-piloted to enhance the student learning experience. The Philosophy of Space Exploration course used VR headsets to create immersive learning experiences through custom VR assignments and a virtual classroom. Positive student feedback resulted in the continuation of VR test-piloting in Fall 2023 in a History course.
Title: Step into the Future of Education: Enhancing Student Learning through Virtual Reality in the Classroom
Are you interested in exploring innovative ways to enhance student learning experiences? Join us in our upcoming discovery session, "Step into the Future of Education: Enhancing Student Learning through Virtual Reality in the Classroom," so that we can create connections together and unite through creativity and collaboration! Our session aims to promote effective online, blended, and digital teaching and learning practices by exploring innovative ways to enhance student learning experiences through the use of Virtual Reality (VR). Our division has been exploring the use of VR as a potential tool to impact student learning experiences. In our session, we will delve into our experience in researching and implementing VR technology in higher education courses and share our findings on how it can help create a more immersive and custom learning experience for students.
Virtual Reality is quickly becoming a popular tool for innovative learning experiences. Research has shown that VR can increase student engagement and enhance learning outcomes, allowing for a more immersive and custom learning experience. Additionally, it can help create a more realistic learning setting for students and can allow them to learn by doing and engaging all the senses (I.e., sight, hearing, movement). Because of these potential educational benefits, our university is currently exploring the potential of VR in the classroom through test-piloting VR headsets in various courses.
The first course that we implemented VR in was the Philosophy of Space Exploration (PoSE) course taught in Fall 2022. The Oculus Quest 2 VR headset models were used because they were preloaded with a variety of educational simulation content as well as had a strong business enterprise model, making them the affordable choice. On each headset, the software called ‘ManageXR’ was added to help us collect usage analytics and allow us to customize specific configurations for security purposes. Each VR headset was configured to have a ‘kiosk mode’ or lock screen to only display approved course VR applications. These security measures were applied since each student was checked out a VR headset for the whole semester and we wanted to ensure security and safety parameters were enabled.
In the PoSE course, the headsets were used for content delivery, through VR assignments, and for a virtual classroom application. For the VR assignments, students completed either a VR simulation application or a YouTube 360 video on a specific topic that related to the course and then took knowledge check quizzes on Blackboard Learn to assess their understanding. For example, students watched a YouTube 360 video on the James Webb Telescope, learning about its research applications and the scientists behind its development, and then completed a quiz on the covered topics. Additionally, the course was taught in a synchronous modality so we used the virtual classroom application 'Horizons workroom,' where students created personal avatars to attend weekly lectures and engage in discussions about the philosophy of space exploration.
To collect data about the students' VR experiences, several VR reflection logs were given to the students so that they could write about their experience using the VR headsets. Through student reflection logs, we found that the students had an overall positive reaction to using the VR headsets. Furthermore, we observed that the use of VR helped create a more immersive learning experience, engage students in experiential learning, and allow exploration of abstract and theoretical concepts. Due to the positive results, we will continue test-piloting VR in other courses, such as the upcoming US History: Civil War to Present course. With VR assignments and reflection logs, we hope to gather more data on the impact of VR on the student learning experience.
During our session, we will present for 5-7 minutes and then engage in open dialogue with attendees, allowing them to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences on using VR in the classroom. In addition, our plan of interactivity is to demonstrate the application used for the virtual classroom. Attendees can scan a QR code to view a prerecorded video of the virtual classroom on their mobile device or potentially experience it live on a VR headset. Providing a hands-on experience to the attendees can really enhance their understanding and appreciation of the virtual classroom application used on the VR headsets. Offering the option to watch a prerecorded video or experience the virtual classroom live through a VR headset gives attendees flexibility and choice, which can also make the experience more engaging for them. This will be a great opportunity to showcase to the attendees the unique features and benefits of the virtual classroom application.
In summary, we invite attendees to join us in our discovery session, where we will showcase the process of researching and implementing VR at our university and explore its impact on student learning experiences. By sharing our research, insights, and findings, we hope to promote collaboration among educators to innovate and enhance teaching and learning practices. Join us to learn more about the potential impact of VR on student learning experiences and to share your thoughts with us!