Project Description
In the Fall semester of 2022, Kevin Belknap, an English Lecturer, arranged for his English 015: Rhetoric and Composition classes to have an immersive integration in VAR Edu. He brought in two sections of his class, totaling 48 students, for a group integration during their regularly scheduled class times.
During each 50-minute class, 24 students were divided into groups of three and assigned to one of the available 10’x10’ user spaces. The first student would wear the Meta Quest 2 headset, cast their view to a nearby TV, and then launch the Gravity Sketch 3D design platform. Since the class focused on composing a story, each group was tasked with creating a visual story with a sequence of events in their designated space. Each student had around 12-15 minutes to build, while the other members of their group viewed and communicated with the classmate in the headset. Then, each student member of the team would rotate through the headset and contribute their own unique touch to the group’s story on the same canvas environment. If any students were unable or uncomfortable to use the headset, they still had the opportunity to participate in the group by viewing the story through the TV on the wall.
After approximately 45 minutes, each group presented their creations to Professor Belknap and shared their story. He found that the students quickly adapted to the new technology and medium of creation, resulting in complex and engaging stories. This immersive integration offered a more hands-on and visual approach to learning in a subject that is usually more passive, providing a more comprehensive and enriching learning experience for the students.
