Theriault also emphasizes the college’s commitment to exploring the potential of VR technology in enhancing the educational journey of international students.
Theriault also emphasizes the college’s commitment to exploring the potential of VR technology in enhancing the educational journey of international students.
The Georgian College in Barrie, Canada is transforming education through the integration of virtual reality experiences into its curriculum.
Since 2019, Georgian College has emerged as one of the world leaders in exploring and integrating immersive virtual reality across multiple disciplines.
Rob Theriault, the immersive technology manager of the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Georgian College, emphasized the college’s approach of incorporating off-the-shelf VR experiences to create immersive and interactive learning opportunities across various programs.
“We do very little development actually. What we’ve done mostly is we’ve looked for off-the-shelf virtual reality experiences that I felt were compelling,” he told MSM Reporter.
Subsequently, he would reach out to faculty members to gauge their interest in integrating VR into their respective courses and programs.
Theriault also emphasizes the college’s commitment to exploring the potential of VR technology in enhancing the educational journey of international students. With ongoing discussions with the international office, the college aims to leverage VR to provide students with insights into Canadian life and the college environment before their arrival, as well as facilitate cultural and learning exchanges.
Acknowledging the challenges associated with international engagement, such as logistics and connectivity, Theriault said that Georgian College remains committed to ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.
He said the college consults with its equity, diversity, and inclusivity teams to ensure that VR experiences are designed to be accessible to all students.
Georgian College’s vision extends beyond language barriers as well, with the college creating 3D experiences to support international students enrolled in their English for Academic Purposes program.
Currently, the college has implemented 12 pilots in disciplines such as architectural technology, advanced care paramedic, biotechnology, health, event management, indigenous studies, tourism, and nursing programs.
One area where VR has had a significant impact is the architectural technology program. Students transition from designing buildings in 2D on a computer to exploring their creations in a realistic 3D environment.
“I started in this role three years ago, and I discovered shortly after I started this role that architectural technology had already been using virtual reality since 2018. And it makes a great deal of sense in that subject area because students design buildings in 2D on a computer and then go into the 3D environment where they can see what they’ve designed to scale,” Theriault shared.
The transformative perspective allows them to make crucial adjustments to their designs, enhancing their understanding and decision-making skills, he said.
Georgian College has also piloted SimX, a patient simulation software, in its nursing program. Through this, students can engage with patients, perform procedures, and develop crucial soft skills. The integration of analytics provides comprehensive feedback on students’ actions, enabling teachers to focus on empathy, compassion, and crisis management.
“The students have absolutely loved it because they said they felt like they were in a hospital environment,” said Theriault.
Georgian College has integrated VR technology into a wide range of programs, showcasing its versatility and effectiveness in enhancing different fields of study, such as the Indigenous Studies Program for language learning and the Veterinary Technician Program for animal dissection and anatomy education.
Other programs like Biotech, Nursing, Paramedic, OTAPTA, Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, and Fitness and Health Promotion are also actively studying anatomy in VR as part of ongoing research. Advanced Care Paramedic students are employing VR for patient assessment and resuscitation.
Starting in September 2023, the Design and Visual Arts program will also introduce a new course that utilizes VR headsets for 3D painting, sculpting, design, and creating augmented reality art.
Georgian College’s pioneering efforts in VR integration demonstrate its commitment to providing innovative and engaging educational experiences. Through the use of VR, the college prepares students for real-world challenges while fostering creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning.
Source: interview and https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Sg6kJIi_Y0xxOOpOrGwI1keFK2oy0vdgQOOzUFSXHzM/edit
