"What is VR?
What does it mean for education? I cant use it in my classes!"
Its the same story
different day when trying to communicate to those that have not had the
opportunity to get their hands on Virtual Reality (VR). Working in the Higher
Ed space is an amazing opportunity to spread ideas and knowledge. The issue is
that professors seem to think you want to change everything they've been doing
for the last 50 years. As fun as it would be to flip the classroom environment
- initially, VR is better used as a tool to add to what professors are already
doing. the longterm goal would be to blend the two. So the following will bring
some context to the issues you're having with understanding or some clarity to
what you already believe to be true.
1.
If you haven’t heard of Google Cardboard
Google Cardboard is
the most cost efficient VR headset from Google. It allows the user to take VR
with them everywhere they go. Someone would want to buy this to have access to
VR experiences wherever they are. This device came out early 2014. In the last two
years there have been a lot of VR headsets that have vied for public attention.
It’s important to note that Google Cardboard was the first to allow all people
to experience VR via their cost efficient headset. Knowing the origins of VR
help us understand why we love certain VR solutions more than others. Someone
who skips Google Cardboard doesn’t know why they chose the other headset
without having done research. Google Cardboard leaves a spot of oil from the
users forehead on its face-side. This issue causes people to not want to
keep the device for very long and it renders it un-shareable. This
issue is what pushed the Samsung gear VR to become a favorite
VR device early on. The Samsung Gear VR had head straps and it didn’t
leave any residue. Knowing what’s wrong with Google Cardboard will aid you in
knowing the value of a good VR headset.
2.
If you don’t think Virtual Reality will change education.
Virtual Reality (VR)
is a full immersion into another experience. VR is important because it is
changing the way we see and do everything. not to mention it is a
billion-dollar industry. It’s even more so important because it will be a
rocket ship for education. VR's intent may have been for entertainment but
it was born for our learning ecosystem. The current classroom ecosystem is
like this: show up, receive lecture, leave. This is prevalent in every
institution. In most cases the students brain is not active during these
lectures. The student isn’t connecting. What is the professor to do? In the
past the answer was more homework or a low participation grade. Now the
future is allowing the student to immerse themselves in the subject via VR. How
many of us have fallen asleep in an English lecture? It’s just not that
interesting, but out the passages to the story your reading in VR in a life
size format, then suddenly the student is standing, thinking critically, maybe
there’s imagery in the VR part. You get the idea it makes a very stale subject
come alive.
Biology majors,
Physical Education majors can do their professions in VR to practice their
jump shot or an open heart surgery. The College of Business is able to show
what business attire looks like. Project management becomes real when you have
to speak to vendors in VR. The speech class becomes real when you have to speak
in front of a virtual audience of 1000 people. The behavioral science majors
find out how to deal with a patient who has random reactions all while being in
a safe environment. Safety is huge for VR training.
While being in one of
our jet engine-immersive experiences we have at Oral Roberts University, I
thought about safety. Being able to manipulate a jet engine in VR was
ingenious. Companies now could spend less on training and get better results
with their employees. A school that uses VR makes smarter, safer, more capable
students who are ready for the workforce.
4.
If you believe that you can’t use it in your discipline.
I haven’t seen an
industry that is exempt from VR yet. Everyday there is another limitation being
capitalized on. For example, there was no way to take a walk in Jerusalem from
your home. Now with Google Earth VR you can walk the streets and fly through
them as well. In the past there was no way for an online art student to
collaborate with another student across the planet in a virtual space. Now with
Google's Tilt Brush we can send the file and the other student can pick up
where the first student stopped. For accounting, there was no way to do math in
VR. Now with desktop VR technology, you can do your accounting all in VR. For
business you can create a marketing campaign for a company then put it into a
3D town and see the billboards or the new color design of the building.
The list goes on and
on but the truth remains the same – if you can close your eyes and see it –it
can be created it in VR.
Thanks,
Stephen
Guzman, proj. mgr, VR developer, Oral Roberts U.
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