Says over 600 students participated in one-year project; College must not overlook potential of VR learning
In a recent press release, Yavapai Community College president Dr. Lisa Rhine reported on the Community College’s Virtual Reality pilot program. She explained that the College “piloted VR through a structured and experimental approach, involving multiple departments and classes, including 3D design, computer science, art history, CNC, construction, culinary, healthcare, HVAC, manufacturing and others. During the pilot year, more than 600 students participated in the VR programs, and 150 faculty members and 47 staff members were involved, along with 282 community members.”
Dr. Rhine said that VR “offers expansive possibilities, allowing students to engage in immersive learning environments that can simulate real-world scenarios — from medical procedures to industrial maintenance — without the associated risks and costs.”
She pointed to the use of VR at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It created five open educational resource (OER) Nursing Textbooks with 25 virtual reality simulations. According to Dr. Rhine, “this has enabled nursing students there to become totally immersed in realistic healthcare scenarios and provide care for diverse patient populations by using a gaming laptop and Oculus Rift-S headset. Early success data showed that students who used the OpenRN resources and took the Next Generation National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) had a 100% pass rate.”
“Community colleges that have adopted VR technology are finding it to be an excellent fit, one that can be applied in very clear ways to support their central missions,” she wrote. “It is becoming obvious, even to many of those who were initially skeptical, that VR represents a relevant and useful resource that must not be overlooked by these institutions.”