EWU’s Program Leading to University Success (PLUS) is excited to announce that it will soon incorporate virtual reality technology into tutoring, study groups/supplemental instruction sessions, and academic coaching through VRedu’s Virtual Reality Pilot Program. The Virtual Reality Pilot Program includes immersive headsets and custom-tailored applications specifically designed to match and enhance course content and meet individual student needs.
PLUS will work directly with VRedu application developers to create 3D environments and scenarios for students to virtually participate in interactive learning, such as molecule building, anatomy modeling, file and material sharing, and other interfaces and uses. Students will have access to PLUS virtual reality sessions from campus at the JFK Library, the Catalyst building, or from home if they own their own virtual reality headsets.
PLUS plans to initially focus on high drop/withdraw/fail courses, as well as prerequisites for the 2024 Nursing program, and other already existing health sciences/STEM faculty PLUS partnerships with plans to eventually incorporate the technology into academic coaching and other ventures.
While virtual reality is not a new technology, its applications in education are fairly recent. Emerging research suggests that virtual reality learning can lead to higher cognition, better engagement, access to otherwise inaccessible environments, empathy training and spatial memory. Additional research found that virtual reality can alleviate test anxiety and increase motivation. When students are immersed in a virtual reality setting, they can avoid common distractions while better understanding complex concepts, subjects and theories and experiencing increased retention of what they’ve learned.
If you are interested in incorporating virtual reality tutoring or other PLUS services in your courses, or finding out more information about virtual reality at PLUS, please contact Caroline Dias (cdias1@ewu.edu) or Taylor Kensel (tkensel@ewu.edu) for more information.
