Key points:
- Immersive learning helps students build critical skills
- Higher ed needs VR more than ever
- VR-enabled immersive learning expands at Rowan University
- For more news on career readiness, visit eCN’s Teaching & Learning hub
As the workforce evolves at a rapid pace, it’s increasingly important for students to leave higher-ed institutions equipped with relevant skills and knowledge. The best way to develop those skills? Learning by doing–in immersive learning labs.
Campuses across the nation are launching immersive learning centers featuring artificial intelligence, gaming scenarios, augmented reality, and virtual reality to give students hands-on practical experience in their chosen career fields.
Here’s a look at some of the latest immersive learning labs:
Merced College has launched a new Dreamscape Learn Lab developed in partnership with Dreamscape Learn and in collaboration with Arizona State University. The immersive virtual reality learning lab is open to students in biology classes, and course offerings in other subjects will expand as curriculum is developed in the coming semesters. “Merced College is committed to being one of the most innovative community colleges in the nation, and to providing equitable educational opportunities for all of our students,” President Chris Vitelli said in a press release. “Through this partnership with Dreamscape Learn, we are bringing a unique, one-of-a-kind interactive and dynamic new learning experience to students that will transform how we approach teaching and learning moving forward.” The Dreamscape Learn platform leverages virtual reality to make complex subjects more accessible. Students can interact with dynamic simulations, and engage in experiential learning that enhances understanding and retention.
Last spring, the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) expanded STEM learning opportunities to more high school students with the Community Medi-Corps Program and a mobile Immersive Learning Center. The 45-foot-long interactive immersive classroom puts cutting-edge technology, simulation, immersive mixed-reality, AI, and AR learning experiences in the hands of students. It focuses on using these technologies to boost critical thinking skills and give students applied learning experiences. “The Immersive Learning Center is part of the 2020 agreement between GW and four public school systems in Northern Virginia to address the region’s need for high-demand health care professionals, promote career pathways into health and STEM-focused fields, and improve the diversity of the regional health care workforce,” according to the university.
At the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, the Center for Simulation and Immersive Learning connects students with AR, VR, mixed reality, robotics, and AI-enabled solutions to advance nursing and interdisciplinary education and healthcare delivery. The Simulation Lab at JHSON offers a realistic environment where nursing students can build hands-on practice through simulations, including state-of-the-art simulators and medical equipment to recreate lifelike scenarios. Participating in simulation-based training helps students can enhance clinical decision-making, communication, and teamwork skills in a safe and controlled setting. The Virtual Reality Lab at JHSON creates immersive and interactive learning experiences for nursing students by transporting them to realistic healthcare environments, letting them participate in scenarios that closely resemble real-life patient interactions such as primary care settings and emergency scenarios. Collaborative “multi-player” scenarios allow healthcare team members to participate simultaneously, fostering interdisciplinary teamwork and enhancing communication and decision-making skills.
Catawba College is partnering with Dreamscape Learn on introductory STEM courses that enable faculty to send students on virtual scientific “missions,” where they collaborate with peers to develop the analytical and quantitative skills needed to solve complex problems while mastering core facts and knowledge. Students actively play the role of field biologists in a virtual world wherein they discover, analyze, and solve novel, multifaceted problems in life science. “At Catawba, we are committed to the liberal arts tradition that continually weaves teaching and learning with the latest advances in knowledge and application,” said Catawba College President David P. Nelson in a statement. Eighty to 100 students are expected to participate in courses that integrate Dreamscape Learn in the first year, and as new content is developed, additional students will be impacted across academic disciplines. STEM courses will be the initial area of focus, but faculty will explore opportunities to leverage the immersive classroom platform across multiple fields of study.
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