by Juanita Wallace, Kerri Hauman, Julie Perino
JJ Wallace (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Health and Exercise Science at Transylvania University in Lexington, KY.
Kerri Hauman (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication & Director of First-Year Seminars at Transylvania University in Lexington, KY.
Julie Perino (she/her) is the Digital Content and Technology Integration Specialist, Co-Director of the Bingham Center for Teaching Excellence at Transylvania University in Lexington, KY.
Virtual Reality (VR) is an emerging technology that is proliferating across all industries and sectors. VR has the educational potential to improve student learning outcomes through its ability to immerse students in an environment that would not otherwise be available. We believe, and research seems to suggest, that VR will be an invaluable tool that faculty can have in their toolbox. VR will not only facilitate student learning, it will also provide students with the next level of digital literacy skills required by future employers. It is imperative that faculty have a basic and working knowledge of VR and how/when to incorporate it appropriately into their classrooms.
Takeaway 1: VR is a digital literacy tool with concrete peer review evidence.
Takeaway 2: An example of how to infuse VR into a course curriculum with outcomes from the Spring 2023 academic year will be provided.