San Diego State University (SDSU) announced on Wednesday the launch of a groundbreaking augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) research centre to expand the use of emerging immersive technologies in the classroom.
The San Diego university’s information technology (IT) division is launching the Virtual Immersive Teaching and Learning (VITaL) centre to inspire research on new teaching tools. Also, VITaL researchers plan to commit to innovation in the field of immersive technologies.
“The VITaL Center will create and leverage open, affordable, and inclusive immersive learning resources to serve a diverse community of learners.”
🗞️ Read more about SDSU’s Virtual Immersive Teaching and Learning (VITaL) Research Center. https://t.co/Nl4j8tmd85 pic.twitter.com/vSuZFJ9Qob
— San Diego State University (@SDSU) January 26, 2022
James Frazee, Deputy Chief Information Officer and Senior Associate Vice President for Learning Environments, Technologies and User Services, explained:
“The mission of the VITaL Center is to improve teaching, learning and student success through state-of-the-art technological tools and resources”
The VITaL Center is open to staff and students, and is ready to engage all SDSU members in XR solutions. It will even promote collaborative extended reality (XR) research to develop hardware, software, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning solutions.
Additionally, the VITaL centre will work with staff and students at SDSU Imperial Valley border institutions.
SDSU students have already created innovative XR learning solutions, and medical students have collaborated on immersive learning simulations for life-threatening medical conditions. Also, astronomy students built interactive VR moon phase reenactments.
Aside from SDSU student creations, 56 teaching facilities at the university have adopted XR solutions to teach groups of students across 70 courses at eight colleges on campus.
Frazee added:
“These experiences have been particularly valuable for students at rural SDSU Imperial Valley who do not have access to the same traditional simulation facilities available for students at the San Diego campus”
Opening Up for Private and Public Research
The SDSU VITaL research centre opened its doors to public and private XR researchers to discover new ways to teach and learn in immersive environments. The SDSU is open to develop both academic teaching and industry training research-based use cases.
Sean Hauze, SDSU Director of Instructional Technology Services, said:
“Universities must provide flexible, customizable, technology-enhanced learning opportunities that allow students to maintain access to high-quality instruction.”
She added the demands were driving education leaders and faculty to “rethink instruction” to plan courses with a “purposeful blend” of in-person and online modules to facilitate active learning and boost student engagement.
The VITaL Research Center Grant and Faculty Fellowship is also an opportunity available to all SDSU faculty members who want to research transformative immersive learning solutions. Grant recipients will also have access to a sturdy collaborative environment to drive innovation at SDSU campuses.
