Track Session Type
Creation: OER Creation & Management, Copyright, Licensing, and CC101, Instructional Design and Ed Tech for OER, Open Pedagogy
Presentation Type
Roundtable or Special Interest Group Discussion
OER Level of Expertise
Intermediate
Audience
Faculty, Librarian, instructional designer, Administrator
Open Anatomy & Physiology Lab VR: Applications and Recommendations for VR in Education
Session Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) and Extended Reality (XR) technologies have been advancing rapidly, and several new hardware devices have recently been released such as the Meta Quest 3 and the Apple Vision Pro. These technologies have the potential to open many new avenues for student learning and hands-on virtual experiences through custom applications. In this session, we will discuss the development and rollout of one such opensource VR application, Anatomy & Physiology Lab, as well as student reactions and the potential for learning. Toward the end, we will discuss lessons gained and explore hardware and software applications for bringing VR to your campus.
Keywords
Virtual Reality (XR), Immersive Learning, Open Applications Quest, Student Engagement
Objectives of the Session
-
Understand the process of developing, launching, and piloting Open VR on campus
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Discuss the challenges and benefits of VR for learning
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Reflect on potential VR applications and hardware configurations for your campus
Full Description of the Session
At Quinsigamond Community College, the Center for Academic Excellence has been working with faculty since fall 2022 to bring VR into the classroom. They started with one headset and a paid VR application. However, in the spring of 2023, they raised the funds to purchase 7 additional headsets and created a plan to develop an opensource application for Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2 students, called Anatomy & Physiology Lab VR.
The app was finished in the fall of 2023, and they piloted it with 8 students from A&P 1, 8 students from A&P 2, and 14 students from a radiology technician class. Student and faculty feedback from the pilots was overwhelmingly positive with many students claiming that the app made learning easier and added excitement.
In this session, the presenter will discuss the process of developing and piloting the opensource VR application at QCC. In addition, the session will review many challenges and barriers to implementation and early successes observed. Toward the end, we will discuss lessons learned and suggestions for VR adoption on campus and the development of in-house VR apps.
To encourage attendee participation, the session will start with a 4 question ZOOM poll. It will also include numerous visuals of equipment and invite ongoing audience participation. At the end, there will be time for questions and audience comments.
This session will be of interest to anyone hoping to learn more about VR/XR in education, anyone interested in developing or piloting a VR program on campus, or anyone interested in opensource VR. Part of the session will be somewhat technical, so it is recommended for an intermediate to advanced level participant.
Presenter Bios
Brooks Winchell combines academic expertise with a pragmatic approach to technological applications in education. As the Executive Director of Distance/Online Learning & the Center for Academic Excellence at Quinsigamond Community College, Brooks emphasizes the integration of online education and technology through faculty development. For the past two years, he has been developing VR/XR applications for Unity, and he released his first opensource VR application, Anatomy & Physiology Lab, in the Creative Commons and Quest App Lab in October 2023. He is currently working on a second application featuring 360 virtual tours of costal New England, and he is launching his first set of secure Azure custom AI models in spring 2024.
Publishing Permission
1
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Start Date
5-4-2024 2:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2024 3:20 PM
Open Anatomy & Physiology Lab VR: Applications and Recommendations for VR in Education
At Quinsigamond Community College, the Center for Academic Excellence has been working with faculty since fall 2022 to bring VR into the classroom. They started with one headset and a paid VR application. However, in the spring of 2023, they raised the funds to purchase 7 additional headsets and created a plan to develop an opensource application for Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2 students, called Anatomy & Physiology Lab VR.
The app was finished in the fall of 2023, and they piloted it with 8 students from A&P 1, 8 students from A&P 2, and 14 students from a radiology technician class. Student and faculty feedback from the pilots was overwhelmingly positive with many students claiming that the app made learning easier and added excitement.
In this session, the presenter will discuss the process of developing and piloting the opensource VR application at QCC. In addition, the session will review many challenges and barriers to implementation and early successes observed. Toward the end, we will discuss lessons learned and suggestions for VR adoption on campus and the development of in-house VR apps.
To encourage attendee participation, the session will start with a 4 question ZOOM poll. It will also include numerous visuals of equipment and invite ongoing audience participation. At the end, there will be time for questions and audience comments.
This session will be of interest to anyone hoping to learn more about VR/XR in education, anyone interested in developing or piloting a VR program on campus, or anyone interested in opensource VR. Part of the session will be somewhat technical, so it is recommended for an intermediate to advanced level participant.