Virtual reality extends instruction possibilities beyond the campus walls, throughout time and space, and into worlds of the past and future. Higher education institutions have been exploring, using, and creating VR/AR/XR content for the past decade.
Learn how instructors can use CTL's Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets with students in their courses:
Psychology
VR for BioPsych concepts (neural anatomy primarily) can provide an opportunity to demonstrate different types of conditioning and give students a "real life" glimpse into psychological disorders involving delusions and auditory/visual hallucinations.
Apps
- InMind– Neurons and brain tissue have never looked more realistic. Travel into the brain and learn about anatomy with this great app.
Business
Prepare future business leaders through VR team-building exercises that help students understand the power of communication and teamwork. (Schaffhauser, 2019)
Apps
- Virtual Speech— Improve your soft skills through practice in realistic VR scenarios, sales pitches, networking, business storytelling, and more.
Sciences
Students can learn astronomy concepts that have been hard for them to understand with verbal explanations when they experience them visually. (Schaffhauser, 2019) Health students can gain exposure to clinical or emergencies by using VR to experience a scenario that simulates a real-life emergency with a patient, making rapid decisions about the patient's care during the scenario. (Schaffhauser, 2019) Interact with a 3D brain model, exploring microscopic levels within the brain to see and interact with the neurochemicals and neural structures involved in communication between neurons. (Flynn & Frost, 2021)
Apps
- Star Chart – With over 20 million users, this app brings the universe a little closer. Students can learn about constellations by aiming their phones at the night sky. Additional features allow students to interact with facts about planets and space discovery.
- Cleanopolis– Fighting climate change becomes interactive with this app. Students learn about CO2 and battle with Captain Clean to save the world. This is a fun game, and the educational quality would make it great in any science classroom.
- Earth AR – See the globe from new unseen angles. Motion detection and zooming capabilities will make geography more interactive.
- Anatomy 4D– Study the human body with clear images that come to life. Ideal for biology students or anyone with an interest in the inner workings of the body.
- The Body VR- Explore inside the human body. Travel through the bloodstream and discover how blood cells work to spread oxygen throughout the body.
Humanities
Use VR to study and recreate fake news through historical events and media sources, performing critical scenes from a re-creation of the event. (Schaffhauser, 2019) Step back in history by visiting a virtual World War II Japanese-American internment camp south of Denver. (Amache Project, University of Denver) Digitally tour a future Diné community, a relocation site of Church Rock, NM, to envision their home on the mesa, including architecture, ecology, waste treatment, and water collection. (Schaffhauser, 2019)
Apps
- Unimersiv– History comes alive with the apps developed by Unimersiv. Students can explore ancient Greece, the Titanic, or the Egyptian Mysteries.
- Sites in VR– Explore famous landmarks in all their splendor. With an emphasis on Islamic temples, tombs, and ancient cities, students will get to see sites that otherwise would be inaccessible
Arts
Visualize stage design for theater productions (App: AR Stagecraft) with an immersive experience on an empty stage. (Schaffhauser, 2019)
Apps
- Boulevard– Supplement art classes with visits to some of the world's best art museums. Students can tour six art museums, interact with famous artworks, and learn about the art, all thanks to the advancements in VR technology
- Cospaces– Creating virtual realities is not as impossible as it sounds. Students are actively involved in the creation and creative process that goes into building a VR world
- TiltBrush– Creating 3D paintings is every artist's dream; now, with TiltBrush, it is a reality. Painting happens using a handheld "paintbrush," and the creative possibilities will be awe-inspiring for any creative student.
References & Resources:
- Schaffhauser, D. (2019, May 15). 9 Amazing Uses for VR and AR in College Classrooms. Campus Technology. https://campustechnology.com/articles/2019/05/15/9-amazing-uses-for-vr-and-ar-in-college-classrooms.aspx
- Flynn, C. & Frost, P. (April 16, 2021). Making VR a Reality in the Classroom. Educause Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/4/making-vr-a-reality-in-the-classroom
- Lynch, M. (March 11, 2017). 20 Top Virtual Reality Apps that are Changing Education. The Tech Edvocate. https://www.thetechedvocate.org/20-top-virtual-reality-apps-that-are-changing-education/
- Oculus Educational Apps · Sidequest App Search