Pilot project to evaluate the use of Virtual Reality in teaching soon to run University wide

Thursday, 22 November 2018

Virtual reality and other simulation technologies are making their way into teaching and education: the University of Newcastle is launching the Simulation Technology Evaluation Pilot (STEP) Program to position VR as a sustainable and lasting teaching tool.

Picture credit: Nathan George Creative

In a world where education is evolving- books are becoming ebooks, lectures are becoming videos- the University of Newcastle aims to be at the forefront of enabling new and innovative ways of teaching and learning using digital simulation technologies.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have the ability to transform the way educational content is delivered and taught at the University.

These technologies offer the transfer of critical skills and quality procedural training in an highly immersive and controllable digital environment.

Further, allowing a level of training and experience that would either be too dangerous or too expensive to teach in the classroom in a highly scalable manner, addressing current challenges associated with transferring procedural knowledge to large numbers of students.

With multiple leading educators at the University already using simulation technology to engage and immerse their students into their teaching curriculum, the interest from both teaching staff and students in this technology is growing.

Implementing these technologies across the institution and as a supported, long lasting resource, however, requires careful consideration and forward planning.

To better understand how the University of Newcastle can take advantage of these next generation digital simulation technologies the DVC-A Darrell Evans is pleased to announce the Simulation Technology Evaluation Pilot (STEP) Program.

This University wide program is a key initiative of the NEW Education Framework seeking to evaluate the development and implementation of simulation technology into the curriculum.

A key focus of this program will be the consideration of benefits and costs of the technology as well as how to generate the infrastructure around this potential resource.

STEP will soon seek expressions of interest for staff to participate in this fully supported program to design, develop and implement digital simulation technology within an existing degree program.


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