UNLV partners with
Dreamscape Learn to infuse virtual reality into curriculum;
immersive learning facility expected to debut at university's Lied
Library in 2025.
LAS
VEGAS, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UNLV
has announced a new strategic partnership with Dreamscape Learn to
bring the university's introductory STEM courses to life for
students using the company's innovative story-driven virtual
reality (VR) courseware.
UNLV is among the first R1 research
universities to explore incorporating the high-tech interactive
platform into STEM courses to boost student success, following
Arizona State University's (ASU) recent
premiere of the nation's first Dreamscape Learn facility. This
component of UNLV's Immersive Learning
Initiative is expected to debut at the university's main campus on
the second floor of Lied Library in 2025.
The 4,000-square-foot VR space is slated to include a 16-seat
immersive classroom and a free-roam pod featuring content that
adapts the creativity from movie and theme park industries for
instructional purposes. The space will feature engaging
storytelling, realistic visuals and sound effects, motion and
vibrations, lighting, music, and hands-on learning experiences, as
well as a collaborative development space for faculty and students
to learn how to develop VR content.
"As global demand for a workforce with specialized STEM skills
increases, UNLV is on a mission to
better prepare our students for excellence," said UNLV President Keith E.
Whitfield.
"The Dreamscape Learn Center will envelop students in diverse,
life-like scenarios that introduce complex STEM concepts and
require real-time problem solving skills," Whitfield added. "It's
just the latest strategy UNLV is using
to introduce experiential learning experiences that spark students'
intellectual curiosity and show them how to apply theoretical
knowledge to everyday issues."
By upping the ante on student interest and involvement in
challenging STEM courses, UNLV wants to
replicate other Dreamscape partners' success at improving academic
performance — especially among underrepresented students, who
tend to face enrollment and performance gaps.
Research at ASU found students who enrolled in introductory
biology courses that incorporated the university's Dreamscape VR
technology were nearly 2 times more likely to receive A grades on
their lab assignments, with a median score of 96%, when compared to
those in regular sections. Improved grades were particularly
notable among student demographics traditionally underrepresented
in STEM fields.
"Through research at ASU, we've seen that the strategic
integration of great storytelling — brought to life through VR —
can create classroom experiences that significantly boost student
motivation and performance," said Josh
Reibel, CEO of Dreamscape Learn. "We know that this
innovative approach can help address persistent gaps in STEM
education, and set students up early in their college career for
success. As one of our first R-1 partners, we're looking forward to
working with, and learning alongside, UNLV."
The VR learning hub, to be funded through a combination of
public and private donor funds, will join other creative spaces in
Lied Library, including a patent and trademark office and a
makerspace that features 3D printing, tools for creating and
refining prototypes, and a multimedia production facility with
audio and video equipment for podcasting, music production, and
video production.
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SOURCE Dreamscape Learn