Tuesday, June 30, 2015

How Virtual Reality can Improve Online Learning - Ilan Mester, Engineering

Online learning can sometimes be impersonal and unstimulating. A group of engineering students is hoping to change that by integrating virtual reality tools into distance education. “Online learning gives us huge opportunities in higher education. You can connect with more diverse people across greater distances, for example,” said Conrad Tucker, an assistant professor of design and industrial engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. “But online courses also limit you in some ways — there’s little immersive or tactile interaction, and sometimes it’s hard for students to engage with the material. IVR [Immersive Virtual Reality] systems are a potential solution to that problem.” http://www.engineering.com/DesignerEdge/DesignerEdgeArticles/ArticleID/10287/How-Virtual-Reality-can-Improve-Online-Learning.aspx