Virtual and augmented realities (VR/AR) have been talked about for several years as the “next big thing.” We hear how they will teach our students empathy, allow them to learn and interact with content in new ways, and enable new types of distance education. While VR has had success in the entertainment area and there have been exciting use cases in K−12 and higher education, many of us are still waiting for a “killer app” in higher education. Are VR/AR just examples of over-hyped technology in search of a problem? Where can VR/AR make a meaningful difference in teaching and learning? In this roundtable, we will discuss the values and limits of VR/AR, how to support the creation of educational environments and software, and critically examine VR/AR's role in higher education moving forward.
Speaker(s)
Jonathan Koffel, Carolyn Bishoff, University of Minnesota; Scott Spicer, University of Minnesota Libraries