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.
In this session, members heard how immersive technologies — VR, AR, mixed reality and holograms — are transforming student engagement and learning. Professor Gary Burnett reflected on his teaching and research with virtual worlds and advanced hologram systems, outlining the benefits of immersive experiences as well as the challenges of using them effectively in education. He shared evidence from human-centred studies with his students and highlighted best practices for enhancing learning outcomes through immersion.
About our speaker
Gary Burnett is a Professor in Digital Creativity in the School of Design and Creative Arts at Loughborough University. Previously, he was a Professor at the University of Nottingham and head of the Human Factors Research Group. He's an experienced lecturer who teaches and conducts research in Human Factors and Human-Computer Interaction. His research interests concern the human-centred design of disruptive technologies in complex contexts, including novel information and automation systems within future vehicles – and most recently, the impact of virtual/augmented reality and holograms in the Higher Education sector. During his career, Gary has received over £20M in funding from industry, UK government, EU and charities – and has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers, with greater than 6000 citations in total. Gary currently contributes to the influential work of the JISC steering committee for Extended Reality in the UK, is an elected member of Innovate UK’s Immersive Tech Network Accessibility working group, and is Associate Editor for the international journal, ‘Virtual Worlds’.
