Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Enabling positive Virtual Reality and immersive learning adoption: a journey of integrating VR walls

Lightning talk

I was very happy to be invited to the in-person Jisc XR community meet up, held on the 27th June at the University of Leeds.  Thank you.

Me - "Enjoyed sharing our journey of integrating #VR walls into our #healthcare curriculum, thank you. Great to meet the wider #XR community in-person and get reacquainted with familiar colleagues. #UKXRCommunity @Jisc @IglooVision @TheoPenty @anne_feltonmh https://danielscott86.blogspot.com/2023/06/enabling-positive-virtual-reality-and-immersive-learning-adoption-a-journey-of-integrating-vr-walls.html"

I was asked to do two presentations for two sets of groups.  My presentation overview covered; "The Institute of Health and Allied Professions at Nottingham Trent University, is young and early into their journey of applying the use of Virtual Reality.  In this session Daniel Scott-Purdy, Digital Curriculum Manager, will walkthrough how he has begun to integrate and encourage the positive adoption of their VR walls into their healthcare curriculum.  Including approaches, current projects, challenges and lessons learned, and future plans and developments."

A challenge as I only had ten minutes to succinctly talk about this large and detailed piece of work.  Well it is a lightning talk after all, well slightly longer than your average lightning talk.  So I created an abridged version for the event based on the full version below.  And what's good about this presentation is that it's all still very much in progress, it is not a completed and evaluated piece of work.  Which is a refreshing change as I feel impact can be discussed during the work, not just at the end of it.

Slide notes:

  • Slide 2:
  • Slide 3:
    • Intentional, mindful and purposeful approach to the technology.
  • Slide 4:
    • Campuses - One Igloo Vision VR wall at each campus; Clifton part of new build January 2022.  Mansfield installed before my arrival February 2021.  Decisions on the technology choice were made before my arrival into the department.
    • VR wall capabilities - No headsets (immersive room), non-touchscreen (but can interact with content via iPad controller), further interactivity via Igloo Vision apps (websites, apps, H5P, Google Street View etc), lecture capture and live streaming, Unity 3D scenes.  We have two sets of cameras; Insta360 X2 and upgraded to Insta360 Pro 2 - recommended by Igloo Vision as that is what they use for recording footage.  We have no headset experiences yet - about to purchase headsets for identified purposes - later in presentation.  Clifton campus - black boxing now around white projectors.
    • General uses - 360° videos and images to support simulation, scenarios, practical assessments and experiencing situations or environments before real world.  Popular with paramedic lecturers due them being more digitally enabled.  Playing 360° stock type videos on loop to support simulations and scenarios.  Pre-recorded 360° situations.  Both tutor led and student led.  Recommend 8-12 people per activity to avid overcrowding.
    • Booking the rooms - can be timetabled and booked ad hoc.  Protected on wider room bookings, but is bookable.  Encouraged to check in with the department before making just in case there is any planned activities with our rooms.
  • Slide 10:
  • Slide 11:


Kathryn Woodhead - "...thank you for your time yesterday, and I hope you enjoyed the event too! – I might have to come for a visit to see the VR room in the future as I have never experienced one in real life."

Kathryn Woodhead - "Nice to catch up with so many people who I have only met online before! Gary Burnett Daniel Scott-Purdy Rebecca Weeks, nee Morton Karl Veltman MCMI FRSA Dr Graham McElearney and many others!"

Stacy Vipas - "Also great to hear about Daniel Scott-Purdy and his work in 360 immersive rooms."

Further information and images from this event was included in Jisc's newsletter 'UK XR Community - Summer 2023 update', published 18 July.

Also see my blog posts:

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