VR at BGSU: Bending Reality On Campus

Imagine exploring the ancient tombs of past rulers without ever leaving your history class. Imagine creating contraptions to manipulate in your physics lab without leaving your seat. Imagine drifting through the depths of space while being cheered on by your classmates.

            Virtual reality makes these experiences possible. And it’s finding its way into BGSU classrooms.

            Through a computer-generated environment, VR commonly uses a headset and controllers to simulate a 3D space that users interact with in a seemingly real way. 

Mark Stevens, instructor in the College of Education and Human Development, introduces pre-service teachers in his classroom to the possibilities the technology has to offer within education.

 “VR can help extend your learning and extend it beyond just a plain old worksheet or reading a chapter; it’s supposed to give you a deeper richer experience,” Stevens said.

Specifically, Stevens works with future teachers on how to use common VR systems, ways to get the funding for VR equipment and understanding what programs are best used in education.

“I met a high school teacher who was using virtual reality in their high school classroom, and I thought, well, if they can do it at the high school level then I can introduce it at the college level,” Stevens said.

            Hank Blumenthal, a visual communication technology professor, said VR is being integrated into a globalized community. In his 4000-level course, Blumenthal instructs students on exploring VR and augmented reality technologies, and how to use them.