THCAS: Incorporating Virtual Reality into the Classroom
The recent letter from Acting Provost Hayes “First Monday” featured THCAS work with VR.
Educational Technology Consultant for Foreign Languages and Literatures Department, Dr. Irina Swain, is leading faculty in piloting and incorporating virtual reality (VR) applications in the curriculum this semester.
Swain is immersing students in her Russian language class into VR by using the Google Earth VR app. The app lets students explore landmarks of the country they study. For example, students wear an Oculus Rift VR headset to visit Red Square, in Moscow, and see Saint Basil’s Cathedral, which was built in the 16th century.
“Cultural immersion boosts students’ interest in studying culture and sparks study abroad participation,” said Swain.
Lisa Ellison, a Latin and classical literature instructor, also is taking advantage of VR in the classroom. She is piloting the Roman Forum and Athenian Acropolis apps in her Greek literature and intermediate Latin classes. Through VR, her students are able to step back into time to visit and explore the Roman Forum, a cultural icon in all of its Imperial splendor.
“Students found this immersive experience engaging and informative,” said Ellison.
Megan Smith, a student of Ellison’s said, “Being able to see where Cicero worked made his writings seem more real. It is easy to get caught up in the stories of the ancient world and not pay attention to the fact that Rome was an actual place where people lived and worked. Through wearing the headset, I was able to feel as though I was part of that world, which brought new life to the stories I have read of the ancient people.”