Getting Started with VR
What is VR?
1) Virtual reality is an immersive technology that, by utilizing headsets and controllers, transports users into a computer-generated, three-dimensional environment, replacing the users’ physical surroundings with a digital world. Virtual reality (often abbreviated VR) creates a multisensory experience that engages sight and sound, creating an artificial world with which users can interact.
2) Virtual reality, often abbreviated as VR, is an immersive technology that, by utilizing headsets and controllers, transports users into a computer-generated, three-dimensional environment. VR creates a multisensory experience that replaces the users’ physical surroundings with a digital world with which the user can interact.
VR as Instructional Activity
VR’s ability to engage all our senses in immersive learning experiences is at the heart of its potential in delivering meaningful learning experiences. Imagine transporting your students to the heart of the Amazon rainforest, dissecting a virtual animal, standing amidst the ruins of Pompeii, practicing their French in Paris – all without leaving the classroom. Whether your students are using VR in the classroom, a VR lab, or in their own homes, VR allows students to leave the distractions of the world behind as they enter new worlds and experiences.
Immersive Learning
VR lets students step into simulated environments, fostering deeper understanding and engagement. Imagine history students exploring the Colosseum in its prime, nursing students practicing diagnostic procedures on virtual patients, or philosophy students experiencing the trolley Problem firsthand. These immersive experiences solidify abstract concepts and create lasting memories.
Enhancing & Extending STEM Education
VR excels in bringing complex scientific concepts to life. Students can explore the inner workings of the human body, travel through the solar system, or conduct virtual chemistry experiments without safety risks. This can be especially important for our UofM Global students that do not have access to a physical laboratory environment.
Expanding Student Collaboration
Whether you teach in-person, hybrid, or fully online, VR opens new avenues for collaborative peer engagement. Imagine law students collaboratively arguing a case in a simulated court room, engineering students testing prototypes in simulated environments, or business students delivering a presentation in a simulated environment. VR's ability to create immersive multisensory learning experiences opens the possibility for a near limitless supply of collaborative experiences for any academic program.
This is just a small list of VR’s potential. Contact UM3D to see how VR can help your academic program achieve its strategic goals.
Additional Budget Considerations
In addition to the individual hardware and software costs, any implementation of VR within a course or academic program will need to consider the following:
- Implementation Costs – effectively using VR will require a person within the program to direct implementation and training for faculty and staff on how to use the hardware and software.
- Additional Classroom & Lab Costs – If using VR in an in-person classroom or as part of a physical laboratory environment, consider also purchasing the following:
- TV with Apple TV
- This will allow VR experiences to be shared with the entire class, the teacher, or the lab facilitator. The student using the VR headset can stream what they see to the TV through the Apple TV allowing peers to learn from their experiences while getting real-time feedback from the instructor.
- You will need to coordinate the purchase and setup of these devices with your department’s LSP. This will be needed to ensure that all the devices can connect to the same network and are configured to ensure student privacy.
- Classroom & Lab Safety Equipment – If using VR in an in-person classroom or lab, you will need to ensure that students can safely use this equipment. Consider purchasing items like masking tape to set safe boundaries or foam padding to protect students from hard surfaces.
Hardware
UM3D specializes in training users on the Meta Quest line of virtual reality headsets.
The Meta Quest 2, priced at approximately $250, is the most budget-friendly option of the Meta Quest line. Given its cost-effectiveness and capable performance, UM3D recommends the Meta Quest 2 as our preferred choice for most users.
The Meta Quest 3 boasts a more compact design, enhanced cameras, and increased memory and storage. It is available at a starting price that is twice that of the Meta Quest 2. This model is recommended for Augmented (or Mixed) Reality use cases.
Meta Quest Pro is the top-tier choice, intended for serious VR users and enthusiasts. Starting at $1000, this model is the most expensive within the Meta Quest line and features superior optics and heightened comfort. This headset is recommended for departments and programs interested in creating their own VR software. UM3D does not recommend this headset for student use unless there is a compelling academic need.
For more information, see the Meta Quest Comparison Chart.
Software
Virtual Reality offers a wide range of software applications that cater to diverse learning needs.
VR is increasingly popular in medical education. The College of Health Sciences uses Incite VR’s Medical Assisting Clinical Suite software to offer hands-on training in essential tasks such as suture removal, taking blood pressure, and administering vaccinations.
For students in architecture and design programs, VR software offers interactive spaces to visualize and refine their designs in three dimensions.
History departments can leverage historical immersion software, allowing students to virtually step into different periods and cultural settings, enhancing their engagement through experiential learning.
In arts education, VR is a canvas for students to create and manipulate virtual pieces in three-dimensional space.
In science and engineering disciplines, interactive simulations help students grasp complex concepts through hands-on experiences.
Beyond specific academic disciplines, VR fosters a sense of presence and interaction among distance and online learners with virtual classroom environments. Career service departments can utilize VR interview software to hone students’ job-hunting skills, while also offering tools to develop soft skills such as communication and teamwork.
VR software enriches learning experiences across diverse disciplines and promises a future where the boundaries of education are transcended through immersive and interactive technologies.
Resources
Just throwing some things up here, feel free to delete as needed:
VR vs. AR vs. MR vs. XR: What’s the difference?
Future of Higher Education: Adoption of Virtual Reality
VR’s Healthcare Revolution: Transforming Medical Training at CHLA