Understanding the power of immersive technologies for enhanced student engagement and learning
Immersive technology (such as virtual and augmented reality, mixed reality, hologram displays, etc.) has the potential to significantly enhance the engagement and learning of students – providing magical, gamified and memorable experiences that would otherwise be unsafe, impossible or expensive in real-world settings. Nevertheless, there are considerable challenges to maximise the benefits whilst minimising potential drawbacks in educational contexts.
Professor Gary Burnett has taught hundreds of students about immersive technology as avatars within fantastical virtual worlds and is also now exploring the use of advanced hologram technology in university environments. In this talk, he will outline the fundamental arguments for immersive technology and describe the human-centred research he has conducted in partnership with his students to understand how best to utilise immersion for enhancing and extending learning outcomes.
